


Nothing ever goes right the first time

by Danypooh80



Series: The Misfits of the Commonwealth [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Explicit Language, F/M, Long Live Feedback Comment Project, Mild Sexual Content, Mild Smut, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 19:37:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 214,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20680817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danypooh80/pseuds/Danypooh80
Summary: Long ago, Grace decided that she didn’t want to live in anyone’s shadow.She thought going to Boston was going to be a chance for her to turn over a new leaf, but Grace knew she was never going to be the good girl or the perfect little housewife. To her credit, she tried, but when you’re a public defender married to a soldier, having the mouth like of a sailor, the silver tongue of a lawyer, and the aim of a sharpshooter tends to be a bad thing.Who knew that the very traits that got her sent away would be the ones that would help her scour the Commonwealth in search of her son, or help her meet the man she was meant to be with all along?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Breathing in the Chemicals](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18872524) by [WomanonFyre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WomanonFyre/pseuds/WomanonFyre). 

> This is my first fic- I’ve been so inspired by those who are posting that I wanted to contribute my own daydreams to “paper” and actually put them out there! Please leave comments and feedback- trying to get better at this one step at a time.
> 
> If you're a reader from the Team Mage Chronicles, this story takes place at the same time as A Dream Across the Universe- it's just Grace's version of the story!
> 
> Also, I bit the bullet and finally kicked my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/danypooh80) back up- follow me if you want to send a message, share memes, post fic recommendations, and get previews of upcoming stories!

_ _

* * *

_Is this real? _

Gasping, I fell out of the enclosure, desperate to get some sense of what the hell was going on. However, everything was coming in fits and starts.  _ Did the bombs fall?Where am I? _ I started to dry heave as I started to get my bearings. 

Shaking, I pulled myself to my feet and took a look around, and my eyes settled on the yellow tubes that surrounded me.  As my eyes adjusted, my heart began to sink into my throat. 

_ Nate... Shaun... oh no. _

As soon as I saw Nate’s still form, the hole in his head still shiny with blood, Mom’s words began to come back to me, unbidden.

_ We never get it right the first time. It’s our curse, baby. _

My heart began to pound- it started to feel like it was trying to escape from my chest. I had hoped she was wrong, that it was just her, and I would be different, but truer words were never spoken. She was right, just like she always was? Is? With her, I could never be sure. 

Trembling, I realized I had to get out of here- I had to see what was left of the world I once knew, so I slowly made my way through the vault that had become a cold, quiet tomb. As I rounded a corner, I came across a desiccated skeleton clutching a 10mm pistol in his hands- he wouldn’t need it anymore, so I confiscated it. Good thing too, since apparently the roaches had grown the to the size of houses while I slept. When I plowed my way through them to reach the door, I noticed an item dangling from the arm of the unfortunate soul, so I grabbed it and turned it on. _Pip-Boy__... that’s interesting. _Using the strange computer, I opened the door and stepped outside.

Blinking in the harsh light, I took a moment to breathe, taking in the scorched landscape- it was so familiar and yet so different. Everything was just... gone. My neighborhood, once pristine in the way of old pre-war America, now reduced to rubble. Cars were rusty hulks, forever frozen. Standing outside, seeing the devastation... it was too much.

When I decided to come to this version of Boston five years ago, she patiently tried to talk me out of it, said she didn’t think I was ready, but I insisted. I said I couldn’t live under their shadow forever, knowing that if I did I would just have an ordinary existence. She simply countered that she just wanted me to have a simple happy life, full of normal people problems. 

She said I had nothing to prove to anyone, but I told her I had to prove it to myself.  _ I can still be a lawyer, it’s just going to be a little bit different than how I imagined it,_ I said, hugging her tightly as we got to my apartment.  _ Hey, you taught me how to make a headshot from 100 yards, how to hack anything that has a screen, and how to make a grown man cry with a single look. I’d say that has to count for something, right?  _

My mom just gave me a sad, knowing smile that never reached her emerald green eyes.  _ You’re going to have to be even braver than you know, Grace. This world is going to be a scary place. I can only hope I’ve taught you enough.  _

I thought I was ready, but goddamn it, mom knew what was coming. And she tried to tell me, but I wouldn’t listen. I thought she was just sad that her little girl was striking out on her own, doing her part to save the world in her special way.Looking back, I suppose she was, but just not for the reasons I thought. 

As I continued to stare out over the hellscape, seeing what was and would never be again, I couldn’t help it- I started to cry. 

I cried for my baby, ripped from Nate’s arms as I watched.

I cried for my husband- who wasn’t perfect but didn’t deserve a death like this.

I cried for the life that I had built that was now buried under ash and rubble.

I don’t know how long I sat on the ground like that, but a howl in the distance broke through my thoughts and made me stand, shivering in the breeze. No one was here to save me this time. I was all alone, and not only did I have to save myself, but I also had to save my baby.

Wiping my tears on my sleeve, I made a decision- it was time to set out to get some answers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually didn’t like Nate in my play throughs... glad for him, but I never really got the feeling that SS was happy, so I went and ran with that for this story.


	2. Just the facts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace starts to get by with a little help from some friends.

_ _

* * *

Quickly and quietly, I made my way towards Sanctuary Hills, trying to believe my eyes. I just couldn’t believe it... my kid was gone. All the friends I made, everything I knew... 

_Focus, Grace... Just find Shaun._

The only problem was I had no idea where to start. 

As I approached my old house, I saw movement out front. Quickly, I took cover behind a rusted car and tensed up, hand resting on the gun at my hip. When I took a minute to breathe, I realized the shape looked familiar...

"Codsworth?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from my tears and disuse, "Is that you? How long has it been?"

"MUM!!!" The robot butler zoomed over to me. "It's so good to see you! I’ve missed you these last 200 years! Where's Sir and Shaun?"

200 years??? My heart was on the verge of breaking again.If I thought about it too long or let myself feel anything, I might never move again- I couldn't let that happen. Shaun needed me, and I needed answers. If ever there was a time to not fall apart, this was it. 

_You can fall apart later. There's going to be time to cry and mourn, but doing it now won't get Shaun back. Pick a battle you can win and fight another day. _

I took a deep breath and answered, "Nate is dead, and Shaun is missing. I have to find him". 

If a robot could look crestfallen, Codsworth would. "Oh...Mum... I'm so sorry. What happened?"

"A man with a scar shot Nate and took Shaun".  _Just recite the facts- keep it neutral, don't let yourself feel just yet._ "Have you seen anything? Anyone?"

"No, Mum, I haven't. However, you may want to try Concord. I do recall hearing word of settlers in that area."

"Then I'll be heading off." I started to turn, but Codsworth began to whirr, almost as if the old Mr. Handy was thinking about something.

"You... will come back, won't you? I'm... so very lonely here."

"You could come with me if you'd like.Or, you could stay here and let me know if you heard anything when I get back."

"I'll be here for you as always, Mum."

\---

It was dark when I made it to the Red Rocket- I could’ve stayed in my old house, but after retrieving Nate’s holotape and the extremely important personal items I’d buried in the floorboards long ago, I just.. didn’t want to. The quiet of the once-bustling neighborhood made me feel so lonely, and I was about ten seconds from losing it already. I couldn’t afford to go to pieces- not when I was this close to finding someone that might be able to help. 

As I started to creep around the back of the station, I heard a low whine from behind me- hackles raised, I slowly turned around and saw a beautiful dog sitting nearby. It made me think of how much I used to want a pet back in the day. We never had one- dad was allergic and also too busy to keep an animal. Mom never wanted a pet- she said it was hard enough with two kids and a husband, so taking care of a pet was out of the question for her.

When I tried to ask Nate if we could get one, he simply grumbled that we didn’t have time to raise a dog and a baby. In his opinion, I should focus on learning to cook instead, so in response, I cooked him a well-done steak, just like a good little wife should. 

However, the steak ended up being a carbon-ash well-done, which may have proved his point. 

But now, over 200 years later, Nate wasn’t here and the dog was. _Funny how life worked out, huh?_

The dog just stared at me as I walked up to him. He looked ok, so I held out my hand and he sniffed it, letting me pet the top of his head. 

“Do you need a friend? I sure do.”

The dog gave a playful bark and trotted to my side. Pleased to see he was so friendly, I leaned down and chucked the underside of his chin. “I’m Grace”.

The dog yipped again and wagged his tail, making me laugh, so I reached over and petted him again. “Nice to meet you too."

It wagged its tail even harder, clearly pleased with the turn of events. Finally relaxing for a moment, I pulled out the water Codsworth had given me, took a long drink, and walked towards the building to try and get some sleep. My new friend and I needed all the rest we could get if we wanted to make progress in the morning. 

—

Well, that did NOT go as I expected. 

The people I met at first were a little... hostile.I ended up having to enforce a little shotgun (well, 10mm) diplomacy. Apparently, the world had changed while I slept.  _Is it always going to be shoot first, question later? _God, I hope not.  I decided to push it out of my head for now- nothing I could do about it except move on. 

Thank goodness my mom and stepdad, Dean, had shown me how to shoot. When they said they were going to teach me, Dad was apoplectic- the man was/is brilliant, but useless in anything that didn't involve medicine. He said no daughter of his was going to handle a firearm, but Dean begged to differ, saying that if their daughter lived with them, she was going to learn how to defend herself. Mom didn't say anything- she just sighed that long sigh she does when she knows something the rest of us don't and pulled Dad to the side. As she talked to him in low whispers, he got redder and redder in the face, but eventually, he relented, and I was taught how to properly handle, clean, and fire a pistol. 

The first time I tried to shoot, I fell flat on my ass from the recoil.  Dean smirked, saying he bet I learned my lesson that time. I grinned and told him they haven't made a weapon I can't fire- just gotta get the feel for it first. He laughed a big hearty laugh, like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard, and helped me up. After that, I tried again and again, shooting targets until late in the afternoon, me still sucking at it, but at least remaining upright, and him patiently teaching me. 

That felt like an impossibly long time ago.

_I guess I now get to practice on living targets that want to murder me, _ I thought as I rummaged through the pockets and took the ill-fitting plate armor and ammo off what I was sure wouldn't be the last person to underestimate me.  _Just do what you have to. Don't dwell. He tried to shoot you. _

"Just because I have to doesn't mean I want to". 

The dog just looked at me and wagged his tail as we packed up, oblivious to my inner conflict. 

\--

Well, at least Codsworth wasn't wrong- I did find people in Concord. There was a group of settlers that were trapped by more of those jerkwads. I helped clear out the raiders and then had to take out what was called a Deathclaw. No idea what the fuck that thing was, but I do know it took forever to bring it down- steering clear of them in the future was probably for the best.

Since the settlers couldn't stay there and there were no signs of Shaun, I offered to help them get to Sanctuary. We all trudged back along the road, everyone lost in their thoughts.Preston, who was apparently what was known as a Minuteman, stayed by my side, trying to make conversation, but I wasn't in the mood- my whole body was still smarting from the last firefight. Eventually, he quieted down- after that, the walk to Sanctuary was filled with blessed silence. 

When we arrived in the quiet town, we worked together (well, Sturges, the mechanic, and I worked together- everyone else just stood around, shell-shocked) to get sleeping arrangements and food for everyone. The amount of work was staggering- farming was not my forte, and it showed. 

Before the war, I was used to using my mind to get ahead. Out here, I had to rely on physical strength, and I was not exactly the pinnacle of fitness. Yeah, I could run, but when they asked me to play sports in high school, I used to hide under the bleachers with a book until class was done. As Nate had astutely pointed out, I couldn’t cook to save my life. To me, meat was something that came in plastic containers from the store. I could barely even carry my laptop (though I hadn’t seen one of those since before I came to Boston), but now my life lived on my back- the culture shock was a bitch.

When I finally got a moment to breathe, I grabbed some food and sat down by the fire. The dog curled at my feet, and together we listened to the flames crackle and burn. 

After a minute or two, I heard the shuffle of feet followed by someone shifting to sit beside me. I sighed- I didn’t have anything against anyone, but I just wanted to have a moment to myself. Being with others was great, but I didn’t want to pretend to be strong for others or struggle to hide how much I was hurting. 

Taking a breath, I turned to see the woman they called Mama Murphy sitting next to me. The old woman didn't say anything- she just looked at me with a serene smile and we sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the others as they got ready for bed. 

Mama Murphy placed a hand on my knee and patted it.  “Don’t worry child, you don’t have to smile for me- I know you’re hurtin’."

"Thanks, Ms. Murphy"

She smiled at me and shook her head. “No use wasting extra manners on me, child. Mama Murphy is just fine.” She squinted at me in the firelight. “You ain’t from around here, are ya? The Sight’s telling me you’re from a time and a place before.”

Finally, I returned the smile. "Nope. Moved to Boston five years before the bombs fell. I’m a pre-war popsicle, freshly thawed from Vault 111. Look- not even a freezer burn."

She laughed- it was a barking, raspy sound but it wasn't unpleasant. "You sure are. But I don’t think you’re telling me the whole story. I don’t see roots on you, girl. I do see you missing someone fiercely, tho’."

I nodded. The woman was perceptive- you had to give her that. 

She gave me a look, noticing that I didn't address her statement, but she continued anyway. "You're not a local. You're a woman out of time. Out of hope. But all's not lost. I can feel... your son's energy. He's alive."

I raised an eyebrow. "My son?"

She shook her head. "Girl, you know better than to test us with the Sight. I can see things better than most. I know your mama has the sight and you don't, and that you ain't looking for your husband because he doesn't need to be found. It's your boy you want, right?"

I swallowed. She had me, dead to rights. 

She poked me in the shoulder with a long bony finger. "He's out there... go find him."

"I don't know where to start," I whispered. 

"I don't need the Sight to tell you where you should start lookin'. The great, green jewel of the Commonwealth. Diamond City. The biggest settlement around."

I paused- I wasn't from Boston and I knew there were plenty of places I hadn't been to yet, but I'd never heard of Diamond City.But so far the old woman hadn't been wrong and it was the best lead I had, so I was eager to get started. I tried to get up, but she stopped me. 

"Wait until morning. What's lost tonight will still be lost in the morning, and sleep makes everything clearer."

She was right- running off half-cocked in the middle of the night wasn't going to help me or Shaun. I could sleep, get directions, and set off in the morning. At least I now had a destination. 

_Just stay focused and don't break down. You're finally getting somewhere..._

I sighed and settled back in my seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love Mama Murphy and her Sight. I also couldn't figure out for the life of me as to how Grace would know how to build a damn settlement on her own, or be practically superhuman, so I wanted to explore that a bit more. 
> 
> Want Preston's perspective? Check out Chapter 1 of _The B-sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_! The first story, _Will you be my General?_ tells about their meeting from his point of view.


	3. Insurance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace meets everyone's least favorite insurance salesman and the greatest mayor in the Commonwealth.

_ _

* * *

Preston worked my last nerve.

I’m sure he didn’t mean to, but man, could he irritate the shit out of me. I asked him for directions to Diamond City, and ended up the general of the Minutemen. I tried to protest, but I quickly realized it wasn’t worth the argument- It wasn’t like I wasn’t going to help someone that needed it if they approached me about it. It was really starting to look more and more like decent human beings in the Commonwealth were few and far between. Long as it didn’t stop me from finding Shaun, it was just another thing to do, and if he wanted to give being a decent person a fancy title, I really didn’t have the heart to argue with him.

Plus, I needed something to avoid going lobster in the blazing sun, and the hat was pretty sweet, especially considering that the day was sweltering. So, despite being hot and sweaty, I blew my bangs out from my face as the dog and I started heading towards what I hoped would be Diamond City. Considering that reading a map was never my strong suit- I couldn’t bear to think about how I was going to manage in a desolate wasteland with no GPS.I should have been more scared, but all I could think of was that someone in Diamond City just might know where Shaun was.

To add insult to injury, it looked like money seemed to be limited to bottle caps. I was able to scrounge up a few from the husks of houses in the neighborhood, but I was definitely going to need more- exploration and odd jobs were going to be key if I wanted to get anything done. 

Despite all of this, for the first time since I got out of the vault, I felt actual hope.

—

Turns out, hope does not equal spatial awareness, as I did NOT make it to Diamond City. What I DID find was a nest of Raiders, a bunch of mutated flies, some dogs that made Cujo look like a cuddly puppy, and a gash in my left side that hurt like a motherfucker. By the time I reached the gates of what looked like a town, I was in no mood to deal with anyone’s shit- all I wanted to do was sleep. Oh… and prevent my innards from falling out- that was probably important.While a stimpak would be amazing, I was liable to sell my soul for a whiskey, a shower, and a hot meal.

As I approached the gate, a guy stopped me, holding up a hand. “Hold up there. First time in Goodneighbor? Can't go walking around without insurance.”

Though it was usually my policy to not shoot anyone who hadn’t aimed a gun in my face, I seriously considered shooting him in the face. “Look here dude, I’m in no mood for your shit. This is a town. Let me in.”

He fixed me with a toothy grin and looked me up and down. “Awww, the little lady is feisty. I like ‘em like that. Gotta make sure you stay safe, Goodneighbor’s a rough place- that’s why you need insurance. Can’t have anyone hurting the pretty little vaultie, can we?” 

_Damn it, I have to get out of these clothes._ “So, the Vaultie needs insurance, huh?”

He started fingering the knife at his side. “That's right. Insurance. Personal protection, like.”

I looked him up and down. “Oh really? Do you have insurance for me kicking your balls so hard you come when you cough? Cause I’m starting to think you might want to buy some.” 

He took a step closer, and I inwardly groaned. There were too many people, and I was in no shape for a firefight. “Now don't be like that… I think you're going to like what I have on offer. Or maybe if you don’t have enough caps, I’m sure we can work something out…”

_Alright, that’s the last straw- I’m about to make a meal out of this sonofabitch. _

Just as I was reaching in my pocket to show him the business end of my 10mm, I saw a blur of red out of the corner of my eye. A man had come from a nearby building and was walking over to the jackwad. “Whoa, whoa. Time out,” he said as he approached. “Someone steps through the gate the first time, they're a guest. You lay off that extortion crap, Finn.”

Finn just glared. “What d'you care? She ain't one of us.”

The man was now right next to him, smiling as if Finn had just said something amusing. “No love for your mayor, Finn? I said let her go.”

_So, this guy is the mayor? Curiouser and curiouser._

Finn spat at the ground near his feet. “You're soft, Hancock. You keep letting outsiders walk all over us, one day there'll be a new mayor.”

The man called Hancock didn’t flinch. “Come on, man. This is me we're talking about.” He leaned towards Finn, and put his arm around his shoulder. “Let me tell you something…”and he stabbed him in the side with a very large knife.“Now why'd you have to go and say that, huh? Breaking my heart over here.”

With all these knives floating about, I felt like I was the only one bringing a gun to a knife fight, but somehow, I didn’t feel like I had the advantage. 

As Finn’s body slumped to the floor, Hancock stood up to his full height. As he cleaned off his knife, I was able to get a good look at him as he turned to look at me. He may have been handsome once, but now he looked like one of the burn victims I used to volunteer with in Dad’s hospital. He didn’t have a nose, and his lips so thin that they were almost non-existent, but they could still turn up in a smile. He was dressed like he belonged in a history fair. A dusty tricorn hat was perched on his head, and he was wearingwhat I could only describe as a red frock coat with what used to be a white ruffled shirt underneath. In another life, I would have called him batshit crazy- but in this world I decided that testing the man probably wouldn’t be a good idea, considering the blood pooling on the ground in front of me. This was especially true considering that he was taller than me, wasn’t carved up like a thanksgiving turkey, andhad clearly ran out of his daily allotment of fucks to give.

Despite all the evidence screaming at me that self-preservation would be advisable, I couldn’t stop myself. “My hero”, I said dryly. As soon as I said it, I realized it _probably_ wasn't the brightest idea to go into a meeting with a person who just _murdered a man in front of you_ with a sarcastic response.

_Way to go Grace, antagonizing the guy with the large knife and the penchant for sticking it in squishy people is definitely the right way to go! Full marks for that one! _

Instead of also greeting me with the pointy end of his knife, he just laughed. “I aim to please. Now don't let this incident taint your view of our little community. Goodneighbor's of the people, for the people, you feel me? Everyone's welcome.”

_Ok, he’s not always feeling stabby- I got a shot at coming out of this alive_. I smiled and stuck my hand out for a handshake. “Thanks for that. Nice hat, by the way”. 

He didn’t respond to my joke or take my hand- instead, I noticed him staring at my side, a concerned look on his face.“Uh, sister, you alright? That looks like a pretty deep cut ya got there…”

I glanced to my side, where blood was pooling out and staining my cursed vault suit maroon. “Well, would you look at that? No worries- ’tis just a flesh wound.”

The multiple copies of his face swimming across my vision didn’t look amused at my joke, but it didn’t matter- I was already involuntarily launching myself towards the ground.

_ _

* * *

Hancock was standing in the Old State House, barely listening to Fahrenheit as she told him something or other. He didn’t really care too much, as he had a great Jet high going, and her words were fading in and out on the breeze. Soon, he noticed her mouth had stopped moving, and she was staring past him. She sucked her teeth and crossed her arms. “Fuck, Finn’s at it with that extortion crap again”.

Hancock raised what would have been his eyebrow, if he had any hair. “Goddamn it, I told him to knock that shit off.” 

Fahr looked at him, a maniacal gleam in her grey eyes. “Want me to take care of it?” She looked hopeful, but he shook his head, trying to shake off the last of the high that had thoroughly been blown. “Nah, I got it.”

When he got to the gates, he saw Finn harassing a young girl in a vault suit and something that could barely be called armor that definitely had seen better days.He was torn- she was giving the guy a good bit of lip, and might even be able to back it up, but she had a bloody gash on her left side- if he saw it, Finn had to see it too, and that made her prime pickings, no matter how tough she might be. Resigned, he sighed as he approached the two- he was going to miss him the next time Goodneighbor had a super mutant attack, but he had to make an example out of the man. _Heavy is the head that wears the crown and shit like that, right?_

Once Finn had been handled, Hancock took a minute to size up the lady responsible for all the ruckus. She was tiny- had to be if she was shorter than him, and had the brightest green eyes he’d ever seen. Her face was almost hidden by a wide hat similarto his own that was covering dirty blond hair, and looked like she was about to fall over at any moment. Still, she was giving him lip. He had to hand it to her- the girl had moxie, as Nick used to say. However, it was when she stuck her hand out to him that she really rattled him. No one did that anymore, and especially not to a ghoul. If he thought about it (and he did, since Hancock liked to think) she never even flinched when she saw him. In fact, the only time she reacted to him at all was when he stabbed Finn. She even tried to make a joke, smiling and fixing those big green eyes on him, but he tried to brush it off by staring at the gaping wound in her side she was obviously trying to ignore. Try as she might, she couldn’t continue to shrug off the blood loss and began to pass out- Hancock caught her before she hit the dirt. He briefly wondered what the hell kind of trouble was this girl bringing to his doorstep, but since he wasn’t going to find any answers with her dead, he figured he should take her over to Doctor Amari to get looked at and patched up.

Scooping up the unconscious girl and carrying her over to the Memory Den, Hancock wasn’t sure why he actually cared.Maybe it was because she fought her way to Goodneighbor, though she looked like she should have been radscorpion food about ten miles back. Or maybe he just liked her attitude and wanted to see how much fire she had when she wasn’t running on fumes. Most likely it was just that like it or not, she was part of his town, one of his people.

And no matter what,Goodneighbor took care of its own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodneighbor! It's about time! I wished I could have started here, but no matter- we're here now!
> 
> Hancock and Graceface! Yay!!!! I wanted love at first sight, but Grace is a little too abrasive and guarded to do that, so slower it is. I'm just happy he got to still be her hero for a little while :)
> 
> Want to figure out how the heck she missed Diamond City? Check out Chapter 2 of _The B-sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_! Chapter 2, _Turn Left_ tells about Grace and why she ended up in Goodneighbor.


	4. What do I owe you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Hancock have a chat and Grace discovers her mouth has a death wish.

_ _

* * *

(Grace… you gotta get up)

_That’s easy for you to say- I’m actually really ok with not, thanks. I think I’m done. _

(Since when did you become a quitter?)

_Um, since I got gutted like the catch of the day in post-apocalyptic America. Tends to take the fight out of a girl, ya know. _

(Last I checked, I didn’t raise any quitters) 

_Last I checked, you weren’t a frozen popsicle for the last two centuries. I think I earned a rest. _

(If you’ve been frozen for the last two centuries, haven’t you had enough rest?)

_Means nothing. _

(Difficult from start to finish, huh?)

_I would hate to disappoint. Expectations to maintain, you kno_w. 

(Sorry to rain on your parade, but you aren’t anywhere in the vicinity of done, so...) 

—

“Welcome back”, said a stern female voice I didn’t recognize. I had no idea where I was, but at least it was relatively clean, and no one was actively trying to murder me, so chalk one up to the win column, I suppose? She leaned over and shined a light in my eyes. _Ah, a doctor_. “How are you feeling?” 

“Like I’ve been run over by a truck”, Slowly, I tried to sit up, and realized that not only was I not in the cursed vault suit, but I could _move_\- there was no longer an impromptu ventilation hole in my left side, which was definitely amazing. “I assume I have you to thank for the duds and patch job, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t see you next to our former neighborhood insurance salesman. How did I get here?” 

She gestured over her shoulder, where the red-coated man was leaning against the doorframe, selecting a pill from a canister he had pulled out of his pocket. “Mayor Hancock brought you in, though I keep telling these people I’m not that kind of doctor, they still insist on brining me all their medical issues. Your suit wasn’t salvageable, so he brought you some old clothes. ” She helped me stand up from the cot, and eyed me as I got to my feet. “You should probably take it easy for the next few days- that was a pretty nasty wound you had there.” 

_Great- I’m officially the neighborhood charity case_. I walked over to Hancock, determined to get back on something resembling equal footing. No way was I in a rush to owe someone a favor, let alone someone I didn’t know. Besides that, I knew for a fact the man had stabbed a guy for simply fucking with a wandering sod like me- I’d hate to see what would happen if he actually thought _I _was trying to fuck him over. I grabbed my bag that was sitting on the floor next to me (to be honest, I expected it to be empty and long gone- this day was just full of surprises) and started rifling through it. “Two things- one, thanks for saving my ass out there- good lookin’ out. Two, how much do I owe you?” Feeling the caps I had hidden in the lining, I stood up, but immediately something occurred to me. I turned to looked at him, putting my hands on my hips. “And three, where’s my dog?”

He didn’t respond immediately, but after staring at me for a few seconds he shoved the container and his hands into his pockets, turning away. “Wasn’t a problem. Dog’s out front in the lobby- doc wouldn’t let him back here.”

_Two down, one to go_. “That’s great. You still didn’t tell me how much I owe you, though.”

“I know.”

“Look, I’ll pay you for it. Just tell me what I owe you and-”

He waved a hand at me dismissively. “Don’t worry about it-it’s fine. You needed it, I could help ya, and I did. End of story.” He started to walk away, but I began to follow him outside the building. The dog noticed me approach and followed, letting out a happy bark and trotting behind me. 

“Now where I come from, most men just don’t do things like that for someone without looking for something in return. I don’t know who you think I am, but that’s not how I roll, so, spit it out- what do I owe you?” 

He paused for a second and glanced over his shoulder before stopping and lighting a cigarette. “Good thing I’m not a man, then, right?” 

I arrived next to him and frowned- he wasn’t making sense. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I gestured to him, waving my hand up and down in front of him. “Clearly, you’re a dude, so...” 

He took a puff on his cigarette. “Yep, but I’m a ghoul, so...” He trailed off as I stared at him with confusion, and cocked an eyebrow at me. “What, the pretty face of mine didn’t tip you off?”

I rubbed my hands to my temples- clearly, I was too fucking sober. “Did you really just say ghoul? As in zombie movies, trying to eat your face, that sort of thing? Cause I gotta be honest, if that’s the case, you’re pretty shitty at your job cause you just missed out on a fuckload of chances to chow down, Mayor.”

Hancock stared at me with a curious expression. “Do you really not know what a ghoul is?”

“Didn’t I just say what it was? Are you high or something?”

“Yes, but that’s beside the point. How do you not know what a ghoul is? You been living under a rock or somethin’?” 

_Kinda thought the bright blue suit marking me as human target practice would have given it away, but I guess not..._

I shrugged nonchalantly. “_Or something_ sounds about right. Since I’m wrong, how about you tell me what you think a ghoul is and we can get back to you telling me how much I owe you.” I poked him in the shoulder and he frowned at me- I immediately realized I was not only stepping across the line, but damn near twerking on it in a g-string. 

I gulped. “Sorry about that... so, you’re a ghoul, huh?”

He took a drag on the cigarette, and then passed it to me. I didn’t usually smoke but I took it, grateful for the nicotine and something to stick in my mouth besides my foot. When I took a puff, he grinned, turning around in a circle and sliding his hands up and down his body. “Yep. Like it? I think it gives me a sexy, king of the zombies kinda look. Big hit with the ladies.”

I chuckled. “I can see why.” I stuck out my hand again, hoping to start over. “Look, I’m not trying to be a bitch. I’m just way too sober and out of my element to stop my brain from short-circuiting. Since I’ve also added rude and being a mooch to the list of my wonderful qualities, I should probably introduce myself before you murder me. The name’s Grace- Nice to meet you, Mayor Hancock.”

He stared at my hand for a minute before he shook it, taking my sunburned hand in his and giving it a strong shake. “Nice to meet you. John Hancock, mayor of Goodneighbor, at your service, but I think you already know that.”

I passed him back the cigarette and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. “Yep.” I took a look around, trying to get my bearings- didn’t work, but it was worth a shot. “So, since you won’t let me pay you back, can I at least buy you a drink?” Pausing, I put my finger to my lips. “Oh shit, do people still do that? Wait... people still drink, right? Oh god, please let there still be alcohol...”

He really lost it then, doubling over and laughing so hard his hat fell off his head. I picked it up and gave it back to him, brushing his warm fingers as he took it from me. “Oh we drink, all right. Go see Daisy, get yourself some real clothes to wear, and then meet me at the Third Rail. You can buy me a round and tell me your story... I get the feeling it’s a good one.” 

I saluted, and started to walk off. Immediately, I realized I had not a solitary fucking clue where I was, and turned sheepishly to face him. “Um... you mind giving me a tour? I’m kinda lost.”

He chuckled at me. “I’ll show you where to go, but I’m pretty sure you don’t want the type of tour I usually give the gorgeous girls like you.” 

I just stared at him- he stubbed out the cigarette with his shoe, still laughing to himself. “Never mind, let’s just get you over to Daisy.” 

He offered his arm and I took it as we walked away, lacing my arm through his elbow and strolling down the street as if this wasn’t one of the most batshit insane days of my life. 


	5. Hancock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hancock realizes Grace is taking up space in his brain.

_ _

* * *

Hancock hurried over to Doctor Amari’s, gently holding the unconscious girl in his arms. The doctor grumbled about having to see yet another person for what she considered not to be her problem, but he would ignore it like he always did and she would treat them as she always did. It was their dance- had been for as long as he knew her, and it wasn’t likely to change anytime soon.

“I see you brought me a vault dweller today, huh? What happened here?”

Hancock shrugged. “I found her at the gates arguing with Finn and I noticed that-” pointing to the gash in her side. “By the time I finished dealing with him, she wasn’t looking so good. Girl got a few words out that didn’t make sense and then passed out in front of me.”

Amari didn’t even look up from what she was doing. “Will I be seeing Mr. Finn later?”

“Nope."

"I see," she said, and she did. She'd been in Goodneighbor long enough to know how the town worked. "I'm going to have to cut this suit off her. Look in that pack and see if she has any other clothes in there."

"I don't recall being your assistant," he intoned mildly.

"And I don't recall being your personal doctor, but here we are." She began cutting the suit with efficiency, and Hancock began rooting through the girl's belongings.

He found a bunch of things in her bag- some caps, food, water, ammo, and a tiny black brick with spiderwebs running across the front, but nothing useful. How was she traveling like this? This girl was the most unprepared person he'd ever seen- no wonder she was damn near dead. "No clothes in here. I'm gonna go see if I can find somethin' around here."

Amari nodded and continued to work.

\--

He went back to the statehouse and grabbed a pair of old pants and a shirt that he found lying around. As he was walking back out, he noticed Fahrenheit staring at him.

"I could've handled Finn, you know."

He shrugged."Yeah, but it's better if people know I can still get my hands dirty. Besides, it wasn't personal. No need to torture the guy."

"But that's what makes it fun," she said, staring at him. "What's up with the little Vaultie I saw you carrying over to Amari's?"

"Not sure yet- trying to figure that out now."

She gestured to the clothes in his hands. "And what are those for?"

"Doc's cutting up that suit- needs somethin' to stuff her in- the idiot didn't pack any extra clothes."

"You probably should've just done her a favor and let her bleed out," Fahr said, sitting down on the couch. "No sense in wasting good shit on someone too stupid to notice."

He didn't respond and glared at her as he walked back to the Memory Den.

\--

Well, Grace definitely counted as interesting.

Hancock had thought her initial attitude was part of her being delirious, but nope. She was small, but she cussed like a sailor and had a little more sass in her than was probably good for her. He wondered what her deal was- she acted as she had never heard of a ghoul before, but most Vaulties would have run screaming for the hills or tried to shoot him on site, but she hadn't. Instead, she kept trying to shake his hand- no one did that, except Daisy and Kent, the pre-wars.

When they reached Daisy's shop, the old ghoul had seemed delighted with her. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, he dropped the girl off with her and told her to meet him at the Third Rail when she had gotten some decent gear. He tried not to notice how she looked when she bit her lip and started blushing when she started to tell him that she had no clue how to get there, so he shot Daisy a look instead. Daisy nodded and waved him off- she'd get her there.

As he left and headed towards the bar, he popped another Mentat and started to think. Why was he bothering with her? Why didn't he want her to pay? Initially, he had every intention of charging the girl, but after seeing what little she had, Hancock couldn't take it from her. If he did, he'd be no better than Vic, and he wasn't that type of guy- he helped those who needed helping and hurt those that needed hurting, and he could easily see she needed helping.

If he was being honest (and he usually was nowadays), he liked that she had no idea about what was going on. He realized it was fun to play the hero once in awhile- he may as well enjoy the ride and see where this one led. Plus if she wanted to prove herself, he had a few throwaway jobs he could give her- no harm in seeing how green the Vaultie really was.

After a minute, his mind started to wander towards the feel of her hand on his, and the tingling sensation he felt shoot up his arm when she brushed her fingers against his. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in awhile- he wondered if she felt it too.

Hancock tended to think about a lot of things.

When he reached the bar and settled in to wait for Grace, he opened a canister of Jet and let time slowed to a crawl. Magnolia was singing and he began to tap his foot in time with the music, letting the melody wash over him. He was sure Grace would give him more to think on tonight, and he wanted her to tell him her secrets- he was actually eager to know what her deal was. He could wait for the girl to warm up to him, even though patience wasn't his strong suit. It never seemed to matter- in the end, people always found him charming, and he had nothing but time to wear them down.

Hancock laced his hands behind his head and closed his eyes as he waited for the vaultie, lost in the haze of drugs and song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to post this with Ch. 4, but I thought Hancock deserved a little more space than that. To me, he's the epitome of the smart kid playing dumb, and I wanted a moment with just him to see how his mind worked.


	6. To Alcohol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Hancock drink a lot of whiskey and have dinner, while Hancock discovers that Grace can give just as good as she gets.

_ _

* * *

Welp, it turns out the end of the world really didn’t do me any favors in the direction department. I know for a fact that Hancock told me where to go, but did I have a clue about where that was after he said it? Nope. 

It never failed- anytime someone told me how to get somewhere, no matter how many details they gave, it was like they started going direction-blah-blah-place-blah-blah-blah-destination. It’s always been like that, and it was really starting to look like it always would be- thank goodness for that damn Pip-Boy, or I might be even more screwed than I already was. I know Hancock was explaining and pointing to things, but I was not paying as much attention as I should have been. I was too busy being hypnotized by the sound of his voice and trying to understand how he wasn’t melting in that hot ass coat to really focus on what the ghoul was saying. 

Thankfully, we arrived at Daisy’s shop, and realized I was a little sad when he unhooked his arm from mine. But, he introduced me to the old shopkeeper and I perked right up. Daisy was a peach- she was a ghoul, but she was sweet, smart, kind and a no-nonsense type of woman. When I talked to her, it felt like I had known her forever- after she realized I was also from before the war, our conversation just flowed, leaving the mayor to fiddle with his knife idly. I was surprised he didn’t join in (and bit fascinated and creeped out by his knife skills) but I didn’t care- Daisy felt like home, and I didn’t know how much I missed some parts of my old life until she gave me a taste of it. 

After a few minutes of us chatting and cackling like two old hens, I guess Hancock had enough. “I’m going to head off to the Rail. Meet me when you’re done here?” The dog looked at him quizzically- he looked like he was saying _you trust her to go somewhere? You’d be better off telling me where to go, and I can’t read. _

Sadly I couldn’t argue- with my luck, I had a better chance of finding life on Mars than the bar. I looked down and bit my lip, hesitant to admit to him I had not retained a thing he just told me. “Ummm...” 

Thankfully, Daisy rescued me, bless her heart. “Don’t worry about it, John- I’ll make sure she gets there in a little bit. I have a few old things I think she might be perfect for.” 

He nodded. “Thanks, Daisy- this one here really needs some help. I’m not trying to make a habit out of saving her ass.” He put his knife away and tipped his hat at us. "Don’t take too long,” he said, looking at me as he left the shop- I just nodded and turned back to Daisy, who was talking about a book she had. Lost in our conversation, we barely noticed him leave as he sauntered off down the street. 

Well, Daisy didn’t, anyway. 

—

I needed a job, like yesterday. 

Hancock and Daisy told me I needed gear if I wanted to not die out in the Commonwealth, but my pockets were apparently planning for my early demise. I looked sheepishly at Daisy and turned out my bag, trying to scrounge for the few caps I had tossed in there. My fingers closed around them, and I realized I had enough for… damn near nothing, so I apologized and tried to leave, but Daisy was having none of it. She turned and gave me the full force of her stare, causing me to stop stammering and listen to the old woman. “Look here, Grace... I have a few things I couldn’t sell. You’re welcome to them.” She gestured to a pile in the back of the store. “Feel free to look around back there and see if you can use anything.”

It’s a really difficult position, being proud and broke- you want to turn people down and tell them you can handle it on your own, but you know full well that you need it. I was vacillating between pride and diving into the goods, Scrooge McDuck style, and paused for a second, staring at the pile of heaven-sent items in the back. “Daisy, are you sure? I couldn’t...” 

Daisy waved me off- she was having none of it. “Pish posh. You can and you will- I was going to donate it anyway. I think there might be some clothes and shoes that would fit you. If they do, you’re welcome to ‘em. Granted, you’re going to need some real stuff soon, but this can get you started. Just buy a few Stimpaks- you’re gonna need ‘em.” 

I gave her a hug. “I can definitely do that. Thanks Daisy- you’re the best! You have no idea how much this means to me.” 

I pulled away and she waved me toward the back, tears in her eyes. “Go’on, get back there before I change my mind.” She paused. “After you find something, I have a shower if you want to get ready. Can’t send you to meet the mayor looking homeless, ya know.”

“I’ve already met, poked, insulted, bled on, and probably drooled on the mayor. Do I really need to add making him wait to the list?” 

She made a dismissive gesture. “Don’t you worry- I’ll handle that. You just go get ready.”

I groaned. “That’s easy for you to say- I’m reasonably sure he won’t stab you. Me, I don’t have a lot of points in the win column- I’d prefer to stay on what’s left of his good side.” Daisy shot me a withering look at my snarky response, and I thew my arms up in surrender. “All right, all right- you win... But if he murders me, I’m coming back to haunt you.”

— 

A little while later, I was clean and had a bag stuffed with stimpaks, clothes, ammo, and gear. I even had a place to sleep for the night- Daisy said I could stay with her till I set out for Diamond City, and she found me a shower! Granted, it was just some buckets of filtered water she had heated on her stove, as her shower was irradiated, but to me it was heaven. The junk pile had been like the best thrifting experience I had ever had, and I ended up with a pair of jeans that I rolled up to avoid tripping on the hem, and a flannel shirt that I tied in a knot at my waist. I was showing almost all of my belly, but I didn’t care- it felt like it was a sauna outside, but hey, I was clean and I wasn’t dead- I had come out ahead. I could show a little skin if it meant I wasn’t going to roast from the inside out, considering I had long since left modesty at the bus stop. When I finally emerged from the bathroom to leave, I noticed that even the dog was enjoying himself- he was laying down at Daisy’s feet while she read, idly scratching the dog behind the ears every few moments. She had drawn me a map of the town and assured me Hancock was not going to end my life on sight, bless her heart, so I set out into the warm evening air for the Third Rail. 

It was fairly quiet outside, yet there were people all over- they were chatting with each other, shopping, and moving from place to place. It dawned on me that this was the first time that I had actually seen more than a few people in one place and no one was actively trying to murder or rob anyone. It was… pretty normal. Apparently the mayor actually had some semblance of control on the town. I tensed a little, nervous about walking around without an escort, but when no one paid any attention to me, I relaxed, enjoying my stroll through the town. Eventually, I found the bar, walked down the narrow, dark stairs, and I was stopped by a ghoul dressed in a tuxedo standing in front, feeling extremely underdressed as he looked me up and down. “You here to see the mayor?” I nodded- I couldn’t trust myself not to say something that might get me thrown out. 

We were a regular pair of chatty old biddies, him and I- In response to my super verbose answer to his question, he grunted in approval and opened the door, gesturing for me to go inside. 

Whatever I was expecting to see when I entered the Third Rail, I can safely say that jazz club was NOT at the top of that list. There was a woman singing in the front, and a Mr. Handy with a bowler hat (seriously, what was with this town and hats?) tending the bar. People and ghouls were just sitting around, listening to the music, chatting and drinking. For a moment, I debated leaving, but save for fleeing town, it wasn’t like he couldn’t find me- he was the mayor, after all. As I stood at the stairs frozen with indecision, I tried to figure out why I was so nervous- it wasn’t like I hadn’t had drinks with city officials before. However, that had been at a time where I knew were my next meal was coming from, I had a house to go home to, and I was reasonably sure they hadn’t seen me naked. This was different- I couldn’t put my finger on why it was, but it definitely felt like there was a lot riding on me not making a total fool of myself. 

I don’t know how long I stood on the stairs, trying to calm myself down, but finalIy I scanned the crowd and noticed Hancock sitting in the corner, hands behind his head and hat pulled over his eyes, exposing a sliver of his chest as he leaned back in his chair. I wasn’t sure how he knew I was there, but without looking up, Hancock made a come here motion with his hand, beckoning me to sit next to him. _Choice made_, I thought.

Taking a deep breath and steadying myself, I started to walk over to the table and sat in the open seat in front of him. 

“Welcome to the Third Rail, the best bar in Goodneighbor”, he said as he adjusted his hat and leaned forward, his deep voice making me sit up a little straighter. Though it was rude, I couldn’t help stare at his face- though he didn’t have a nose, it was his eyes I was transfixed by. As I gazed into them, I noticed they were almost fully black and super expressive- in the dim light of the room, they reflected the string lights over the bar, like small stars. He was still wearing the same hat and red coat, and the more I thought about it, it didn’t look out of place on him. The man could've put on anything and had it suit him- he just seemed to radiate confidence and style. 

Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow (or what would have been his eyebrow, if he had one).“You plan on talking anytime soon, or are you just admiring the view?” 

Oh shit, I was staring. “I’m gonna go with admiring the view.” _Did I just say that? Fuck a duck, I can’t catch a break_. 

“That’s rather bold of you. What if I didn’t want to be stared at like you’re about to jump my bones?” 

“Then I assume you would have said something about it. You don’t seem to be the shy type.”

“No, I definitely am not.” He grabbed the glass that was sitting in front of him, and drained it. "You’re something else, Grace. Want something to drink?”

I scowled at him and huffed, “I was supposed to buy you a drink, not the other way around.” 

I guess I wasn’t intimidating, because he just shrugged and signaled the bartender to bring two more drinks. “I don’t actually recall that- I just heard let’s grab drinks. Ain’t never been one to turn down drinks with a pretty girl.” He leaned in closer to me and whispered, “Besides, I ain’t a cheap date. You can take me out when you can afford me”. I felt his warm breath on my skin, and shivered, closing my eyes. When I finally trusted myself to open my eyes, he had returned to his original spot and was smirking at me. “I guess you’ll take that drink now, right?” I nodded- suddenly, my throat was very dry. 

He grinned as the robot brought two glasses of whiskey- I grabbed mine and drained the glass in one gulp. “Easy now, no need to rush”, he said, sipping his and staring at me. 

“Rough week and the first liquor I’ve had in over 200 years. Sorry- got a little hasty.” I looked down at my empty glass longingly, trying to debate how much drinks were and wondering if it would be worth it to spend my last caps on another drink. 

I guess he noticed my struggle, since he signaled for another round. “I assumed you were just pulling Daisy’s leg.” He stared at me intently, his eyes boring a hole into mine and making me shift uncomfortably in my seat. “But you seem like you’re dead serious- how’s that possible? The only folks 'round here from before the war look like me, and you don’t strike me as one of the typical Vaulties. What’s your deal, anyway?" 

I shrugged. “That would be because I’m not your typical Vaultie. If you want to get all literal about it, I’d actually be a Vaultcicle- they froze me. Just woke up from a 200 year nap- I highly recommend sleeping through the apocalypse. It seems to do wonders for your mental health.”

He let out a low whistle. “Shit”.

“Yep. That’s pretty much what I’ve been saying every day since I thawed out. Sometimes I mix it up, toss in an_ oh shit_ or even a w_hat the fuck _if I’m feeling generous, but I usually reserve those for special occasions. I think I look pretty damn good for 229, though." 

He laughed, finally. “I would agree.” He smiled that thin smile again, making me blush. “So how does a nice girl like you end up with a slice carved out her side?”

“I was trying to find Diamond City- ran into a group of raiders.” I absentmindedly touched the area on my side. "I got them, but not before one of them gave me a little parting gift.” Hancock didn’t respond- he just nodded and waited for me to continue, so I did. “Since I’m directionally challenged, even with a map, I ended up here instead. Lucky for me I guess, 'cause I’d probably have died out there if I hadn’t.”

Our second round arrived, and Hancock took a sip from his glass. “So why’re you looking for Diamond City, anyway?”

I stared into my drink, debating on how much I should tell the mayor- I got the feeling he was fishing for information, but seeing as how I was already a drink in and had plans to ride this drink thing out as long and as far as possible, I didn’t particularly mind. “That depends- how long are we drinking and when does my part of the tab kick in?” 

He finished his drink and sat his cup down. “I guess that depends on when the owner cuts us off. Why- how drunk do you need to be to tell me what’s goin’ on?"

“It’s definitely going to take more than two drinks, that’s for sure. For two drinks, you get the basic elevator pitch." I finished my drink, sat the cup down, and leaned back into the chair, pulling my hat over my eyes and putting my hands behind my head. My shirt rose up even higher, revealing the tattoo of the tiny sun just below my sternum. “How long before he cuts us off?”

“Thought we discussed this tab business already- you that much of a lightweight that you’re already in your cups after two drinks?” I leaned forward and adjusted my hat to glare at him- he just grinned. Since I really wasn’t ruffling his feathers at all, I huffed again, choosing to settle back into my seat while he waved for another round. "I’m thinking I’m not going to be satisfied with the elevator pitch,” he said. "You look like a lady with a hell of a story to tell."

“I am, but I’m not sure if you’re going to get to hear all of it.” I leaned back in the chair again, and my stomach chose that moment to start to growling. “Especially since it looks like I’m going to be sauced pretty quick if I don’t head out to grab something to eat.” 

“Nah, you owe me a story, Sunshine. Wait here,” he said, standing up from the table. 

I started to rise in protest, but he walked over to me, leaning down and staring at me for a minute before placing a thin finger on my lips and gently pushing me back down. “I thought I just told you to wait… there’s plenty of time left in the evening to chat.” 

In response, I licked his finger. 

To be fair, it was an instinct- my sister and I used to do it to my stepdad all the time whenever he’d try to clap his hands on our mouths to keep us from telling Mom something. Us licking his hand never failed to gross out Dean, but it also never failed to make Mom laugh, so the practice continued. Disgusting, I know, but it was our family and that’s how we were. 

His eyes opened wide and he swallowed, removing his damp finger from my lips. “Um, I’m gonna go get us something to eat… Saves me from eating alone tonight.” He walked off towards the bar, and I nodded, super embarrassed and in total disbelief that I had just _licked the mayor_, who, coincidentally, had saved my life, given me drinks, and was offering to feed me. Yep, if I ever had any doubts I was my father’s child, this penchant towards self-destruction would have confirmed it ten times over. I set my head on the table, and started banging it softly. 

I was SO not meant for life out here- at this rate, I’d be dead within the week. 

_ _

* * *

All Hancock wanted to do was to find out what her deal was, and here she was, tying him up in all kinds of knots. He'd been watching her ever since she walked into the bar- her outfit wouldn’t have been anything to write home about, if it wasn’t for the sliver of tanned skin showing where the shirt was tied up above her navel. Her hair was neatly tied in a ponytail (he’d thought it was just dirty before, but apparently it was streaked with blond and brown- he’d never seen that before), and the way she stared at him with no reservations or disgust in those eyes of hers.. it made his heart jump a little. And to top that off, she just had to go and flirt back with him… Fuck, she was sexy and she wasn’t even trying. 

After settling her down with a few drinks, he thought he had once again gotten the upper hand, but then she just had to go and let that shirt raise up, showing off the tiny drawing of the sun just under her chest. Hancock thought the design fit her perfectly and knew he wouldn’t forget it anytime soon. The design was whimsical with a little bit of darkness, just like her. When he saw the sun creep out from beneath her shirt, it took all his willpower to not reach across and trace the lines on her light brown skin, but he decided to settle for making a joke and ordering another drink instead. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to be well on his way to getting drunk tonight. He couldn’t say he minded though- this was the most interesting night he’d had in a minute, and he wasn’t sure he was too keen on it ending anytime soon. 

Once her stomach started growling, he had a perfect excuse to get up and get some space for a minute- but no… he just had to go and fuck it up by touching her lips. 

Though it was meant as a joke to stop her from protesting him buying her a meal, he had really just wanted to see what she would do. She had been touching him ever since she woke up-walking through town arm in arm with him, shaking his hand, poking him… He wanted to trace the outline of her pinkish lips and see if they were as soft as they looked, but he settled for placing a finger on top of them. Hancock wanted to see if she would recoil, bring him back down to earth, get some of that vitriol he knew she had aimed back at him… 

Instead, she licked his finger with that soft pink tongue of hers and he ended up being the one who almost lost it. 

He sputtered something to explain his hasty exit, but he couldn’t be sure what it was- he hurried to the bar as fast as he could, his mind racing a mile a minute. When he approached the counter, Whitechapel Charlie turned to stare at him. “Wha'’ll i' be, guv?” 

Hancock leaned on the bar, and let out a deep breath. “Two orders of brahmin steaks and tatos and two more whiskeys.” He looked back at the table where Grace was softly banging her head on the table and he chuckled- at least he wasn’t the only one who was out of sorts this evening. “Make mine a double, though.” 

“As always, guv”. 

Hancock looked thoughtful for a minute. “Hey Charlie, I got a favor to ask you.” The robot bartender paused, and he continued. "You see that girl I’m with over there-” he gestured to Grace, “If she asks you for some work, toss a few light assignments her way. She could use a few caps.” 

“Aye, no' a problem.” 

_ _

* * *

I had tried to regain what composure I had left by the time Hancock and bartender the returned from the bar with two plates of food and more drinks. Though I had no idea what it was, my mouth started to water as soon as I smelled it. I was beyond grateful for the dinner, and began tucking into it as soon as the plate was set down in front of me, not giving one whit what I looked like. 

Hancock just smirked at me. “Whoa… slow down there, Sunshine. Not like it’s gonna run away from you.” 

“I can’t help it- I’m starving. This is the first thing I’ve eaten since I woke up that wasn’t likely to grow legs and run away from me at any given moment.” I paused for a minute, staring at him as I chewed my food. “Wait, why are you calling me Sunshine all of a sudden?”

If I didn’t know any better I would have sworn he blushed, but it was impossible to tell. “Your sun,” he said, pointing to my chest. “Sounds like there’s a story there too.”

“Yep, sure is, but I think we’re working on a limited allotment of drinks and stories tonight. I’m trying to avoid getting put out of here, you know.”

“So you said.” He began to eat, and it was his turn to stare at me. “So, you’ve been fed and you officially have more than two drinks. I’ve held up my end of the bargain, so what’s the story, Sunshine?”

I sighed. “Well, I was headed to Diamond City to get some information- I need help with something.” 

He looked at me, concern flickering across his face. “Try me out- something I can help with?”

I laughed. Trying to shrug him off, I leaned over the table and grabbed his hand and clasped it in mine, pulling it towards my chest in mock adoration. “What, are you trying to be my personal white knight or something?”

He smiled, not pulling away. “Never know… I could be.”

His words sent another shiver down my spine, and I felt my cheeks grow hot. “Yeah, you are pretty amazing.” I lowered his hand, but I just couldn’t make myself let it go. I continued talking, trying to ignore the warmth I felt beneath mine. “But apparently, this is something I have to go to Diamond City for. Short version, I.. lost my kid. Some dude with a scar came into the vault while we were all frozen- he killed my husband and took him.” 

He placed his other hand on top of mine, squeezing it tightly. “Shit, Sunshine- I’m sorry.” 

I shrugged.”Nothing I can do now except try and find Shaun. That’s why I gotta get to Diamond City- I heard that there was someone there that could help me." 

Hancock looked thoughtful. “Hmmm… sounds like they’re sending you to see ol’ Nick.” He removed one hand from mine and took a sip from his glass. “He’s the best detective in the Commonwealth. If anyone can help you find your kid, it’s him.” 

I took a sip from my drink, a bit more carefully this time since I was starting to feel the effects of shotgunning two glasses of whiskey. “I hope so. I could use a few more bright spots around here.”

“Care to explain?” 

I just looked at him. “Um, more awesome things like you, dummy. You’re the first person out here that has actually been nice to me and hasn’t asked me to do something for them. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead right now.” I took another sip of the whiskey. “I don’t know why you did it, but considering I’m fucking poorer than poor right now, I can’t afford to turn away any help. If it weren’t for you and Daisy, I’d be dirty and dead in a ditch somewhere, so even though I’m a total spaz and probably fucking this up royally, I’m grateful for your help.” I downed the last of my drink, setting the empty glass down on the table, and I smiled, noticing his rough hand was still resting on mine. “Well, now that I’ve just spilled my guts to you, this is probably the point where you try to take advantage of the poor drunk girl, right?” 

He shook his head. “Nah… if I get you, it’s gonna be when you’re stone cold sober and ravenous for this man-jerky. In the meantime, you’ll just have to make due with your fantasies, Sunshine”

I let out a loud guffaw and my hands flew to my mouth, trying to stifle the noises coming out. “Are you shitting me?” 

He winked at me, conspicuously avoiding my question. “Care for another drink, or are you calling it quits?” He waved his glass at me. “I don’t recall hearing anyone talking about last call yet, and I’m pretty sure that you just gave me the elevator pitch...”

In answer, I wiggled my glass in front of his face. “Well, if you’re offering, I’m taking. But,” I said, leaning across the table and poking him in his chest, "I WILL pay you back- I just need to get a job first.” 

He gestured for more drinks, and turned to me, amusement in his eyes. “So you keep poking me and saying.” He tossed a look over at the bartender. "Look, if you really want to, you can try asking Charlie- he may have a few odd jobs. However, I’d suggest you wait till you’re a bit more sober. He’s a little short at the best of times, so…” His voice trailed off. 

I raised my glass at him. “That’s good advice- no wonder you’re the mayor." 

He doffed his hat. “Can’t argue with you on that one. So,” he said, pulling a mentat out of a case from his coat pocket. He offered me one, but I declined. “What have you been up to since you woke up?”

So I began to tell him the stories about Preston, the people I left in Sanctuary, and of all my travels up to this point. Eventually, our drinks came and I happily took another swig of whiskey, eyeing my glass. “At this rate, we’re going to go through a whole bottle.”

Hancock shrugged. “There are worse ways to spend an evening.” He settled back into his chair, placing his arms behind his head. “So… Sunshine’s kinda a badass, huh?”

It was my turn to shrug. “Sounds a lot more exciting than it really was. To think, all that training to be a lawyer and I ended up as a glorified guide with a gun and a four leaf clover up her ass. Not exactly how I envisioned my life going.”

“Well, what did you think you’d be doing?” 

“I don’t know,” I sighed. “Helping people… solving problems, making a difference, I guess. I definitely wasn’t planning to get knocked up by a douche of a man, nearly get blown up in a nuclear war, and get skewered trying to find my kid. So yeah, on the whole, not what I expected."

“Meh, I dunno. It sounds like you’re still helping people out there- I respect that.” He shrugged again. "Maybe that’s why I like you.” 

My heart skipped a beat at his offhand comment- I’m sure I was blushing, but I simply raised my eyebrow as I stared at him over my glass. “You like me, huh?” 

Hancock smirked and raised one hand, pinching his fingers together and separating them a little bit. “Maybe.” I leaned across the table and punched him in his shoulder- he simply laughed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. “What's your plans in the meantime?”

I shrugged. “Find a job and a decent place to sleep, I guess.” I gestured to my side. "Obviously, sleeping outside alone doesn’t agree with me.” 

He looked at me strangely. “Obviously not. Where are you sleeping tonight?” 

“On the floor at Daisy’s tonight- not sure about tomorrow.” As I looked at him, I got the impression that was the wrong answer- he got really quiet and started to finger the rim of his glass. I couldn’t figure out why- it wasn’t like I was rolling in caps, and Daisy didn’t look like she was going to murder me in my sleep. Right now, that was high praise and good enough for me- as the saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers. 

He started fiddling with the buttons on his coat, not looking up. “Look, I got a spare room- just take it. No need for you to go sleepin’ on the floor- you got enough shit to worry about. Just worry about getting better and finding that kid of yours.” 

I blanched. “John, you realize that you’re letting me wrack up a serious amount of debt over here, right? How in the hell am I supposed to ever pay you back?” 

"Look here Sunshine, I’m gonna be honest with you. You ain't prepared to go out there right now. If you do, you’re only gonna be one more dead asshole out there, and who does that help? No one.” He looked up at me, eyes serious. “So, to answer your question- you don’t pay me back. Like I said, you get better and you find your kid. Besides,” he said, finishing off his drink, “how’re you gonna survive out there if you don’t learn how to make a living? Trying to pay me back for a few lousy drinks is gonna be the least of your problems.” 

I sat quietly for a minute, sipping my drink and processing. “Why are you being so nice to me? No one is this nice.” 

He turned his head away from me- if I didn't know better, I would've thought he was talking to someone else. “I can’t rightly say. Maybe I like having the company around here. Or maybe you’re just interesting- I'll let you know when I figure it out.” 

“Trust me, I’m really not that interesting.” Suddenly,I let out a yawn. “I must be a lightweight- it usually takes a little more than this to knock me on my ass. I must be getting soft or something.” 

He stood up, offering me his hand as he stood over me- I chugged the last of my drink and placed my hand in his, shakily rising to my feet. “What, I didn’t hear them say last call yet.”

“I think we should probably call it quits while you can still walk, and I'd like to show you to your new room, Sunshine.” And with that, the mayor of Goodneighbor offered me his elbow and like before, I took it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy smokes, this one was a doozy- It's the longest chapter yet! These two got talking and I just couldn't stop them.
> 
> I remember there was a lot of debate on why he calls her Sunshine. Most people thought it was part of general conversation when you had a romance with him, but it seems like it's part of the dialog when you wake up next to him. I wanted to give him a reason to call her that early on, since I love it as a nickname for her. Plus, Grace is so the type to have a hidden tattoo and is so oblivious that she wouldn't realize that most ghouls aren't used to having a smoothskin be as open and touchy-feely as she is.


	7. Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace settles into the Old State House

_ _

* * *

I trailed behind him, taking a moment to admire the history all around me as we walked up the stairs. _Of course he lives in the Old State House. I mean, why wouldn't a man named John Hancock live in a historical relic? Makes perfect sense, right? _

"So, this isn't just a way for you to get me in your bed, right?" I joked. "Cause if that was that was the case, I'm sure there are other ways you could've done it." 

Hancock didn't even turn around- he simply kept walking. "Nah, I prefer the direct approach. More fun that way."

"I'm starting to wonder if my feelings should be hurt," I quipped, trailing my fingers along the dusty railing. "Did getting turned into an ice cube cause me to lose my touch?" 

Suddenly, he stopped at a door and turned to face me. "Well, since you keep asking, that's my room," he said, pointing inside the door and looking me square in the eye. "Are you really that hot and bothered or are you just running your mouth? Hey, all ya gotta do is let me know,” he said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, “because otherwise, I'd really just like to get you to to your room before you say or I do something we both regret in the morning, ya know?" I was stunned- I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to come up with something to say, but my brain was officially out of order- you could have heard a pin drop after that. Meanwhile, Hancock continued unabated, ignoring my silence and staring at me, cocking his thumb towards the bed. "Oh, now we’re quiet? I mean, you wanted direct... this is direct. Should we just head in here and get started or can we go ahead and finish what we were doing? I mean I already told you that this ain’t the way I want you, but hey- I aim to please."

"We can continue," I mumbled, staring at my feet.

Hancock nodded and began to walk down the hallway. I was so stunned I couldn't even look at him- my face had to be flame red because it felt like my cheeks were on fire. I really couldn’t blame him at all for his response- had it been reversed, I probably would have punched him, not to mention he would have been well into the bottom half of a cussing extravaganza by now. Deep down, I knew I was being flippant for no discernible reason, and common sense was clearly telling me that I needed to apologize, but I just couldn’t seem to make my mouth work. 

Eventually, he stopped by a door at the end of the hall. “Here’s your room. Ain’t much, but it’s gotta be better than sleeping on the floor, right?” He stood in the doorframe, hands in his pockets. “I’ll make sure you get your stuff and your mutt from Daisy in the morning.”

“That’s great, thanks,” I mumbled, trying to get into the room and keep my face down at the same time. 

As I started to walk past him, he seemed to take note of my dejected demeanor and placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me from continuing into the room. “Hey, Sunshine?” 

I didn’t have an answer for him- between the alcohol and the whiplash I was experiencing from him, my brain was way too twisted to come with anything, so I just stood there. After a moment of me not responding, he softly cupped my chin in his hand and tilted it upward, causing me to look at him. Not wanting to meet his gaze, I tried to keep my eyes at the floor, but Hancock wasn’t having it- he began taking a finger and stroking my cheek gently until I raised my eyes to meet his. 

I sighed, leaning into his touch and closing my eyes in response to the gentle strokes on my cheek. “Yeah?” I whispered, trying to make sure I remembered how breathing worked. 

He leaned down and touched his forehead to mine. “Don’t get the wrong idea here,” he whispered as if speaking too loudly would break the little bubble we were in. “There is nothing I would like more than to show you every little thing I’ve thought about doing to you tonight. Don’t you even think for a fucking moment that I don’t find you sexy as hell. But when we do anything, I want you to remember it… all of it,” he said, kissing my forehead softly. 

What I wanted was _more_, but I was scared to do anything that would make him pull away. If we could just stay like this, life would be perfect- I hadn’t felt wanted like this in a very long time. Hell, I hadn’t wanted anyone like this in a long time. 

“What if I just need to forget everything for tonight? Would you help me?” I asked softly. 

“Sure, long as we can come up with something else to do to take your mind off things, cause what you been hintin’ ain’t happening.”

I nodded, trying to smile and ultimately failing at it. “I... just don’t want to be alone. I’m so alone right now, and for once, just once, I don’t want to feel it, you know?”

He kissed my forehead again and ushered me in the room, leading me to a small bed that was pushed against the wall next to a rickety-looking night table. The decor wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was clean as it could be, and above all, it was safe- no tubes, no raiders, no mutated bugs... just me nestled snugly between four walls that would protect me from the crazy outside world. I sat down in a daze- my mind was racing a mile a minute. 

He sat down next to me on the bed, rubbing my shoulder and arm. “S’okay. You ain’t alone, Sunshine.” 

Heaven help me, this man was trying to make sure I, a girl he barely even knew, was safe. If I was the type of girl who cried, I probably would’ve been bawling right now, but instead, I leaned into his side, resting my head on his shoulder. “Thank you,” I whispered. “You didn’t have to do all this. You _don’t_ have to do all this.”

He kissed me on the top of my head, stroking my hair. “Shh... let me worry about what I do and don’t hafta do.”

”Hey,” I said, kissing his fingertips, “I thought you weren’t going to kiss me till I would remember it?”

Hancock sighed, and I heard him inhale deeply as he planted a long kiss on the top of my head. “Trust me, I haven’t come close to kissing you like I want to yet. Like I said, you’ll know.” Then he scooted back on the bed, letting me slide down until my head was resting on his leg. “Plus I gotta get something outta this deal, right?”

I chuckled and he just sat there, stroking my hair as I settled into a ball next to him. “Do you do this for all the vault dwellers who almost die on your doorstep?” I mumbled, stroking his leg absentmindedly. 

I was expecting a smart-mouthed reply, but Hancock just sat there for a moment, quiet except for his soft rhythmic breathing and the sounds of his fingers slowly stroking my hair. I wasn’t sure how long we sat like that, me curled in a ball and him stroking my hair, not speaking. A few minutes passed with him remaining quiet, and I assumed he wasn’t going to answer- I got ready to get some rest, feeling safe and content for the first time in a very long while. 

Then, just before I drifted off to sleep I heard him speak, his voice soft but audible. 

“Nah.. just you, Sunshine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are weird... It totally was not my intention to get them to be so flirty with each other, but they had other plans- these two just seemed to instantly connect. Personally, I have issues with it (Grace, you do not try to instantly bone the man who stabbed a dude in front of you!), but hey, I'm not the one trapped in the Commonwealth.


	8. Art is subjective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace gets a partner to visit a very special art gallery; the mayor meddles behind the scenes

_ _

* * *

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” 

He opened one eye and found Fahr shooting daggers at him- for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. “I was sleeping, last I checked.”

“You know what the fuck I’m talking about!” she hissed, her tone venomous. “Not only do you rescue the useless fucker, but you take her on a date? Seriously Hancock, how good was that pussy last night? Is it gold-fucking plated?” 

“What the hell is wrong with you, Fahr?” he shot back, sitting up in his bed. “Keep your goddamn voice down!”

“Oh so I don’t wake sleeping beauty in there?” she jerked her thumb towards the door where Grace was hopefully still sleeping- “Fuck that little bitch- I don’t give a shit about her- what I do give a shit about is you out there losing your goddamn head for a piece of uncooked ass!”

“Fahrenheit,” he said slowly, drawing out every syllable. “You need to calm... the _entire_ fuck... down. _Now_.” Fahr was seething but remained silent, so Hancock continued. “First of all, if you wake me up like that again and nothing’s on fire or getting shot, I’m gonna shoot _you_ to make it worth my while- is that clear?”

“Crystal,” she said, clenching her teeth. 

“Second, she’s one of us now. I’m not gonna take that shit from you or anyone else. We take care of people here, and if they try to fuck that up then we fuck them up, right?”

“Right. Your point?”

“So...They had her frozen up in a vault. Someone shot her old man and took her boy. They fucked her up bad, man- She’s out here looking for her kid, Fahr... in all this.”

Fahr fell silent, and Hancock sighed, laying back down. “And yeah, I went out with her last night. Had a damn good time too.” He glared at the redhead, who was fiddling with her pistol as he talked. For a moment Hancock wondered if today was going to be the day she shot him, but fuck it- if she did, she did.

Hancock decided to gloss over the major details of the night. Hell, he wasn’t even sure of them- hopeful, yes, but certainly not sure, and what he remembered of the moments he and Grace shared last night weren’t meant for Fahr- he’d be damned if he let her spoil them. “And though it ain’t none of your goddamn business,” he seethed, “I haven’t fucked her. We talked. That’s about it.”

“Whatever,” she said as she walked out. 

\--

After he got dressed, Hancock went to go check on Grace. Standing in her doorway, he found the girl was still asleep, lightly snoring under the old blanket he had draped over her shoulders during the night. Thanks to Fahr’s super mutant style wake-up call he figured he had a few minutes until Grace woke up, so he went to Daisy’s to get her backpack. 

Before he left, he ran to his room and scrawled a hastily written note for Grace to let Grace know not to panic if she woke up before he returned. Once he finished, he folded the paper and laid it next to her, hoping she’d see it when she awoke. 

Hancock made his way to Daisy’s shop- when he arrived, he noticed the old woman cleaning, Grace’s dog hanging by her side and basking in the sun. She smiled as she saw him approach and stopped, leaning on the counter. “Morning, mayor. How’s my friend doing?” 

“Still sleeping, but other than that, I think she’s good.” 

Daisy shot him a look. “And she slept alone last night, right?” 

“What exactly are you trying to imply, Daisy?”

“Don’t sass me, John. I know your style.” She pointed her skinny finger in his face. “You better have behaved yourself last night.” 

Hancock rolled his eyes. “Can’t a man just go out with a pretty woman and not be up to no good?”

“Yes, they can... but not you.” 

He clutched his chest and pretended to be hurt. “I’m wounded, Daisy.” 

“No... but you will be if you hurt that poor girl, let me tell you that. She ain’t like the other ones that stroll through town,” she said as she went back to cleaning.

Hancock leaned against the counter. “Seriously, is no one on my side here? The one time I’m being a gentleman, I get all kinds of shit from everyone. I can’t win with you people.”

“I’m just saying...”

“Sunshine’s different, Daisy. I couldn’t explain how if you asked me, but she just is.” 

Daisy looked at him thoughtfully for a second. “Sunshine?” she asked with amusement.

“Anyway,” he said with exasperation, “I‘m just here to grab her bag and the dog before she gets up, not sit out here and yak with you. Can you bring it to me?”

“Sure thing about the bag, but have her come get ol’ Dogmeat herself.” She patted the dog on his head, and he woofed happily. “I’m kinda enjoying his company.”

“Dogmeat?” 

She nodded. “I remembered there were some traders in a caravan talking about a dog they’d seen on the road with a traveler awhile back, said the dog had the oddest name... A guy came in after Grace took off to meet you, and recognized him.” 

“They didn’t try to take him back?” 

She shook her head. “Nah, most people don’t want another mouth to feed. ‘Sides, I ain’t lettin’ no one take my friend’s dog, including you, John. Now like I said, tell that girl to come see me- I can make sure she’s alright and give her back her pooch at the same time.”Hancock decided it was pointless to argue about it, so he silently took the bag and headed off to make a stop at the Third Rail before heading home. 

When the mayor entered the bar, he spotted the baby-faced mercenary nursing a drink with Charlie. “Hey, MacCready! What’s going on with you today?” 

MacCready gave the mayor of Goodneighbor a wave. “Nothing much, mayor. I should probably ask what’s going on with you since everyone saw you being all lovey-dovey with some dame last night. Tried to speak, but you weren’t hearing a word anyone said.” He laughed. “Glad at least one of us had a good night. When you pi- tick her off, have her come and say hi to me, will ya?” 

Hancock glowered. “Ain’t gonna happen, Mac.”

MacCready just shrugged- It was clear that this was a pond he didn’t want to wade into, so he tried to change the subject. “Anyway, what brings you down here at this ungodly hour? The sun’s still out, you know?”

“I was here about giving’ you a job, but now I’m not so sure I want to.” 

“C’mon man, I was just fu- playing with you.” Hancock didn’t look amused, so he tried to smooth it over. “Hey, far be it from me to hit on the mayor’s main squeeze. Just never thought I’d see the day, is all.”

“She’s not my- anyway, I got a job for you.” He pulled out a pile of caps and sat it next to the merc. “I got some caps here if ya’ willing to play bodyguard for a little bit. I got a job for Grace, and I want another gun at her side, just in case shit goes sideways, you know?”

MacCready eyed the caps on the bar and whistled. “That’s a lot of caps for someone who ain’t your girl, mayor.”

Hancock started to put his hand over the caps. “Do you want the fucking job or not?”

“Hey, no need to be hasty, man- I never said I didn’t.” Hancock removed his hand- MacCready slid the pile towards him and pocketed it. “Just tell me what I gotta do.”

_ _

* * *

I woke up and yawned- I felt like I had slept for what felt like the first time in ages. The sun was streaming through the dusty window and I was covered up in a small blanket that hadn’t been there before. _Hancock must’ve put it on me..._

Realization dawned on me... _Fuck, that’s right- last night was kind of a shitshow_. Who knew what kind of mood the man was going to be in today. But on the bright side, I was still in the house and fully dressed with no one in the bed next to me, which made it a definite improvement over most of my nights in college- apparently, I couldn’t have fucked up that badly. Even with all the whiskey and stress from the night before, I could still remember the warmth of his lips on my forehead and the feel of his hands in my hair. As the child of a functioning addict, I always tried (and often failed, to be fair) to make sure that I always cut myself off soon enough to remember what happened (even if no one else did), but I wondered how drunk he was- did he remember it? Would he acknowledge it or pretend it never happened? And really, what did I want him to do?

Sighing, I rolled over and felt a piece of paper under my arm. 

_Gone to get your stuff. Be back soon. __-H _

Welp, at least he meant that part. Did he mean anything else?

Hancock didn’t say I couldn’t leave my room, so I set out to explore the house. As I crept further down the hall, I took a moment to peek in his room to see if he was there (due to our lovely interaction in front of his door, I wouldn’t be forgetting that location anytime soon) and immediately heard a voice from down the hall. 

“Fuck do you think you’re doing?”

I jumped back, startled. “Oh shit, you scared me!” I put my hand over my heart and tried to settle down. “I’m looking for Hancock- have you seen him?” 

The redhead glared at me. “Do I look like his fucking keeper?”

I turned to look at the woman- she was damn near hissing at me, so antagonizing her probably wasn’t the wisest choice of action. In light of the prominently displayed knife on her hip, I chose to stick with friendly- pretty hard to argue with someone who won’t argue back. “Just figured you might be in the know, is all. You look like you have a pretty good idea on what goes on around here.” 

“And how the hell would you figure that?” 

I gestured around. “You’re alone and no one’s following you while you go through the mayor’s house and it’s way too early, so you either live or work here, which means Hancock trusts you. And while I have no idea who you are, you obviously know me, otherwise, you would have asked me who the fuck _AM_ I, not just what I’m doing, which also means either he or someone else told you, which again suggests you know things. Does that sound about right?”

She gave a soft harrumph. “Something like that.” She toyed with the knife at her side, staring off in the distance. “Mayor ain’t here- he went to get your shit.”

“Sounds about right.” I stuck out my hand. “I’m Grace- nice to meet you.”

She looked at it like it was poisonous, so I withdrew my hand. “Fahrenheit,” she said. “I run shit when Hancock ain’t around, and I don’t know why that sonofabitch is all sweet on you. But look here- he may be pussywhipped, but the moment you fuck him over, I’m gonna fuck you up, understand?” 

This was a lot of anger to deal with for a man I wasn’t even fucking, but whatever. “I understand.” 

“You should wait downstairs. If he ain’t high off his ass, he should be back soon,” she said. “Stop standing in the hallway like you’re trying to steal shit and go sit the fuck down somewhere.”

I nodded- anyone else would have gotten a punch to the throat for talking to me like that but considering she definitely knew Hancock longer than I did, I didn’t have a shot in hell of coming out on top in that scuffle- I just kept my mouth shut and headed downstairs to wait for the mayor. 

\--

While I was settled on the couch with a book, Hancock came through the door with my bag slung over his arm. “Morning, Sunshine. Didn’t expect to see you down here.”

“Fahrenheit gave me directions.” 

Hancock groaned and headed over to me on the couch, placing my bag on the floor and kissing me on the forehead. “I’m sure that went well, huh?” He sat next to me on the couch and I leaned on his shoulder. “Hey, at least you’re alive- that alone means the conversation wasn’t a total loss, right?” 

He kissed my head again and I snuggled in, hugging him closer. “I think you and I have vastly different ideas of a successful conversation, hon.”

Why we had done in days what Nate and I hadn’t fully done in years was beyond me, but I was definitely not in the mood to stop- it felt nice being like this. Like my mom said, sometimes it just happens, and trying to fight it is useless- just take a minute to enjoy the little moments, cause the bad ones are never that far behind. 

“Hon?” He peered over at me with a knowing smirk. “When did that happen?” 

I didn't move my head from his shoulder. “Is it a problem?” 

“Not at all, Sunshine,” he said, kissing me on the forehead again. “I just wish I could keep you like this,” he said softly. 

“I wish you could, too.”

We sat there for a moment, letting the reality of my statement wash over us. 

He sighed and started to twirl my hair around his fingers. “I went down and saw Charlie today... He’s got a lead on some work. Should be pretty easy, ya know.” 

” Yeah, I prolly should.” It felt like I had just gotten a huge reality check- flirting and shit with this man was amazing, but I had things to do, and I had to get my head on straight. “Hancock?”

“No more nicknames, huh?” 

I took a deep breath, determined to be the responsible one for once. “Look, you have no idea how much I want this,” I said, squeezing his hand gently. “But my kid is out there somewhere and I’m damn sure going to find him.”

“I believe you told me that already.”

I continued to hold his hand, stroking his knuckles with my thumb. “It’s just… you don’t know me and you don’t owe me a thing, but you’ve done so much for me. I’m not just talking about a place to sleep last night… hell, you made me feel _alive_ again.” I sighed. “I didn’t think that could even happen- I’ve been one step away from losing my shit ever since I woke up. Hell, when I passed out, I wasn’t even sure I _wanted_ to wake up.”

Hancock’s face fell. “Oh, Sunshine-“

I cut him off. “No, listen- I’m nothing if not honest, so I’m gonna be straight with you right now, cause you deserve at least that much. When I came into the bar last night, I was running. After all the bullshit, I needed to escape- I mean, everything I’ve done since I came out of that goddamn vault was for someone else, but you… you were like fresh air. You didn’t come with strings… you were fun and you were just having fun with _me_, not who you thought I was. I haven’t felt like that in a really long time. But then, you started to feel like _more_… You-" I paused, trying to get the words out. “You got me thinking that there’s a possibility for more, and I don’t want to start thinking I got something to come back to. I don’t think I could recover from that if it’s not the case, and I’m not trying to put that kind of pressure on someone I don’t even fucking know-” 

Hancock took a deep breath, and stopped me mid-sentence, cradling my head in his hands and resting his chin on the top of my head. “Don’t you think you should take the chance to get to know you before you decide what I’m about, huh?” He ran his thumbs across my face, tracing patterns along my cheeks. “Look, we can worry about what this is between you and me later, ok? Trust me, I know all about runnin’, but this time I ain’t goin’ nowhere- ain’t no need to run from you, Sunshine.” 

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “This whole thing scares me, hon. I mean, I could be wrong, but you and me, we fit…and that wasn't supposed to happen.” 

He shrugged. “You’re right, we do.” He stood up, pulling me off the couch and wrapping me in a tight hug. “See, you fit perfectly... right here.” He held me close for a moment before he let me go and pushed a stray hair out of my eyes. “But we can worry about that later... you got shit to do. I’m pretty close to immortal- I got tons of drugs and plenty of time.” 

I chuckled, but he wasn’t done. “Before you go though, I’mma need you to promise me one thing.”

“Name it.” 

He held me by my shoulders and looked me in my eyes. “If you need anything, anything at all, you come back home, all right?” 

“I don’t have a home,” I whispered. 

“Hmmm, I could’ve sworn you had a room upstairs and everything. Must be the Jet playing tricks on me...” I punched him lightly on the shoulder and he laughed, kissing my ear gently. “We’re gonna get you some answers, I promise, but I need you to come back to me, ok?.“ 

I grabbed his face and tried to kiss him on the lips, but he shook his head and stopped me. “Don’t,” he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of my head.

“Why?” 

“Because if you do I’m gonna kiss you back... and then I know I won’t be able to let you go."

\--

Later that afternoon, I had collected my dog, whom I discovered was unfortunately named Dogmeat and was waiting to meet my partner at Daisy’s store. Charlie said his boss was looking for some people to scout out the Pickman Gallery since he'd heard some stories about some shady shit going on around there. I wasn’t sure why he needed two people to do such an easy job, but I could definitely use the caps, so I wasn’t going to argue- compared to fighting a Deathclaw, it was going to be a cakewalk, and having backup for all the other possible fuckshit that might occur wouldn’t be the worst thing, as I didn’t exactly radiate luck solo. 

As I chatted with Daisy, a tall young man approached. I mean, I know I looked young, but this man looked like he couldn’t be any older than 18, and he had a huge sniper rifle slung over his shoulder. He had close-cropped brown hair that was tucked under a green cap, the scraggly beginnings of a beard, and a smile on his face a mile wide. I hoped like hell he was a crack shot- I could barely take care of myself, let alone babysit.

“Hey, Daisy, this girl bothering you?” He grinned, leaning his elbow against the counter. “Should I take her off your hands?”

“You could try, but then this girl might kick your ass, and that’ll be hard to explain,” I said. “I’m Grace, by the way- nice to meet ya.” 

“Finally, someone in this he- heck-hole that has some manners…. Robert Joseph MacCready, MacCready for short, at your service.” He tipped his hat and gave me a sweeping, exaggerated bow. "So, Charlie got you to go and take a look at the old Pickman Gallery too, huh?”

Daisy looked confused, “Charlie’s the one sending you out? I thought-"

MacCready shot her a look and cut her off. “Now Daisy, you know how Charlie gets… all ‘it’s the guv that wants it, do it or don’t’. Considering I need the caps, I’m not gonna be the one to argue with the bucket of bolts.” He looked at me and gave me a cheeky smile. “You gonna be able to hang with me? Don’t worry, I’ll go slow to make sure you can keep up.” He pointed at my gun. “Just remember, the bullets come out of the little end, Princess."

“You’re a mouthy little shit, you know that?” I said, returning his grin. “Keep that up, kiddo, and it’s gonna be a long trip." 

“From what I hear, if I let you navigate, we may as well never start. Good thing I’m the one with directions, eh?”

“You listen to everything you hear through the rumor mill, MacCready?”

"Only the true parts..." 

“Mac, leave the girl alone,” said Daisy, interrupting before we started to go at it. “You two just get out there and hurry back.” She turned to me and said “Mac ain’t got the sense God gave a goat, but he’s a damn good shot and a decent kid. You two stick together and be safe, ok?”

I nodded. “Let’s go, kid. I ain’t got all day and I’m sure you gotta get back before curfew.”

He laughed and clapped me on my shoulder. “Well whaddya know... this may actually be fun after all."

—

What happened, in fact, was not _fun_. That trip could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be _remotely_ classified as fun. To be more specific, if fun was was on one side of the planet, that trip would be on the other end. The gallery was full of Raiders and a serial killer who was painting and sculpting with their body parts- it was a morbid mess that I could have safely gone my whole life without seeing. Mac eventually said I could try to get us to Goodneighbor if I promised to use my Pip-Boy, and we began the trek back, covered in dirt, blood, and who knows what else. I was a mess, physically and mentally.

MacCready, however, was not as affected as I was. “Well, that was a kick in the jewels. That guy was really ba- bonkers, wasn’t he?”

“To put it mildly,” I said witheringly. 

“Well, he ain’t gonna be painting no more, if that makes you feel any better.” He began to whistle, and I stared at him. “What? He’s dead, we aren’t. I’d call that a win, right?" 

"Thank goodness for small favors. I now think I’m gonna need to drink my share of the profits to scrub my brain.” I kicked a can at my feet- Dogmeat sniffed inside to see if there was anything worth eating left in it- there wasn’t. “Easy job my ass. I want more money, damn it- I need hazard pay.” 

“Now you’re talking my language,” he joked. “If you can squeeze more caps out of that crotchety robot, there’s a round of drinks on me in it for you.” 

I finally cracked a smile. “You’re on, but I dunno, are you sure you’re old enough to drink? I’m not sure Charlie serves warm milk and cookies, you know." 

MacCready grinned and shoulder-checked me- I returned the favor. “You know what Princess, keep that up and I’m gonna reset your Pip-boy when you aren’t looking. See how well you find the whiskey then.”

“That’s cruel and you know it,” I joked. Dogmeat woofed in agreement, and MacCready bent down to scratch him behind the ears. “You know, you’re not a bad shot… for a kid,” I said. 

“Same to you, grandma- you’re a pretty decent shot for a housewife. Where’s a dame learn to shoot like that?”

“My stepdad taught this dame,” I sneakily replied. “Who taught you?” 

“Self-taught, baby. You have to be born with talent like this.” He thumped his chest proudly. “Best shot in the Commonwealth.” 

“And modest too, I see. The ladies must absolutely love you." I chuckled. So what about it, kid? Willing to do a few more of these rando jobs with this dame? You ain’t half bad to just be out of diapers, and I could use a partner while I’m out here trying to make a few more caps.” 

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, I can always use more caps. You find a job, and I’ll lend you a hand… for a fee.” 

“And here I thought you’d help me out the goodness of your black little heart.”

“I could… but nah,” he said, grinning that grin that made him look so young. “Charity doesn’t really pay all that well, so I try to avoid it.”

“I hate you so much, you know that?”

He jumped in front of me and started walking backward, teasing me and pointing. “Oh come on, I’m the best thing ever and you know it.” 

I thwacked his hat. “Not even remotely.” 

Sometimes the way he teased me reminded me of my little sister, making me take a mental step back and remember where I was, but in spite of that, I eventually started to feel a little better. While the assignment was terrible, the kid wasn’t- he was fun to joke with, a decent partner on the road, and he wasn’t actively trying to get into my pants. On the downside, I knew he was a merc, which was not exactly comforting, but seeing as my options for help were extremely limited at the moment, I wasn’t in a position to question it. But all that aside, MacCready was right- Pickman and the raiders were dead, while we weren’t. Today, the good guys won- I was gonna take the win and be happy. 

Soon, we started to see the lights of Goodneighbor, and the promise of liquor and payment loomed bright. “Race you to the bar…” I said. “Last one there buys the first round!”

“You’re on, Princess!” He took off, and so did I, both of us cackling like idiots as we flew towards the Third Rail, Dogmeat barking happily and racing behind us. As we flew through the streets of Goodneighbor, people looked at us, concerned for a moment about why the two idiots were running with guns strapped to them, but when they noticed us laughing and teasing each other, they smiled and returned to what they were doing. Finally, I pulled ahead and surged in front, reaching the bar just before MacCready. Gasping, I bounded down the steps, much to the dismay of the robot wiping down the counters. “I win!” I crowed. “Pay up, kid!”

MacCready huffed, placing his hands on his thighs. “You’re pretty dang fast for an old woman."

“High school and college track star, baby.” I clapped my hand on his shoulder. “You owe me a drink, kid.” 

“I think you need to go wipe up first.” He pointed to my face. "Um... you got a little bit of raider on your cheek there, Princess.”

“OH EWW!” I screamed, flapping my arms and dancing in a circle- patrons were staring at me, but I didn’t give a flying fuck. "Get it off get it off get it off!” 

MacCready laughed. “I’ll get the drinks- you head on into the VIP room and clean up. There should be some towels in the back.” 

Not even trying to argue, I dashed for the room like my ass was on fire, eager to get somewhat cleaned up. 

When I emerged from the bathroom, somewhat clean, MacCready was sitting at the bar, Dogmeat resting at his feet. Thankfully, he had delivered- there were two glasses in front of him, and I slid into the empty seat next to him. “To a shitshow of a day,” I said, raising my glass. “And to the start of a pretty decent partnership and post-mission tradition.” We clinked our glasses together and took a sip. The scotch was strong but felt amazing going down after the events of the day. I would have to let Hancock know I was back, but considering Mac and I had just raced through town like a couple of morons, I was pretty sure he knew already. 

Sure enough, I felt a soft kiss on my cheek and the sweet smell of cigarettes and whiskey washed over me. "Hey Sunshine,” he said, pulling up the seat next to me and waving at Charlie to bring him a drink. “You two seem like you're having a good time. How’d the job go?" 

“Perfectly ordinary… just a gallery full of raiders being slaughtered by a creepy dude painting with their blood and making art out of body parts. You know, standard Tuesday shit.” I glared at the bartender. “I just had to waste all my ammo on those sons of bitches and take out a serial killer. I’mma need more caps." 

Hancock looked appalled. “YOU WHAT?” At his shrill tone, Dogmeat perked up and whined. I scratched his ears, hoping to calm the pup down and stall a little.

“The lady didn’t stutter, Mayor. It was kind of a shi- crapshow. Princess handled herself well, though. Didn’t know she had it in her.” MacCready looked at the mayor, then the bartender. “ I think you should give her a few extra caps for a job well done. I’d do it, but that would require parting with my share, and we all know I don’t do that.” 

Hancock tried to put his arm around my waist but I shrugged him off, gesturing to my bloody clothes. He grabbed my hand instead and glared at the kid. “Shut it, Mac,” he said, looking over at me. “Sunshine,” he said in a measured tone, "I thought the job was to LOOK around, not start a damn firefight.” 

“Funny, I don’t think the team over there got that memo.” I finished my drink and tried to bat my eyes at the mayor- I was going for sexy, but I’m sure I just looked like I was having a mild stroke. 

Hancock ignored me and rubbed his temples, sighing. “Go home and take a shower- Charlie and I can discuss a fee increase for you… since you did do more than he asked." The bartender didn’t reply, instead choosing to make Hancock his drink. “Mac, can you walk the lady home while I finish up here?” The kid nodded. 

I looked longingly at MacCready's glass. “Hey um, since you didn’t finish…” I tried to creep my hand towards his glass, but the kid slapped my hand. “Ouch!”

MacCready smirked. “My glass, not yours. What, they not teach you that in your fancy vault school?” I stuck my tongue out at him and he drained his glass. “Not my fault you finished yours- get your own." 

Hancock glared at MacCready and turned to me. “I’ll bring us up something to drink, and we can chat.. Just wait up for me, ok? I won’t be long.” I nodded and squeezed his hand as I gathered up my stuff. 

MacCready finished his drink and leaned over towards the mayor. “Oh yeah, that’s _so_ not your girl. _Definitely_ nothing going on there at all, mayor.” Hancock swiped at him, and the kid deftly moved to avoid it. Smirking, he gestured for me to follow him outside and the kid and I left the bar, leaving Hancock behind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want MacCready's perspective on his first adventure with Grace? Check out Chapter 3: _The Merc for Hire_ of _The B-sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_!


	9. Caps and Capers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MacCready and Grace take the wrong job.

_ _

* * *

We exited the bar into the cool evening air, walking towards the Old State House, Dogmeat at our heels. “Well, I hate to say it, but that was kinda fun, in a sick and twisted way. Thanks for the assist,” I said. “Let me know if you find something else to do soon- with Hancock bitching at Charlie, I don’t know if the bartender is gonna give me any work for a while.”

MacCready nodded as we walked. “Maybe. I’ll keep it in mind," he said jokingly, then paused. “So Princess, you know your man’s pi- angry, right?” 

“My man?” I looked at MacCready. “You mean Hancock?” He gave me a pointed look and I stuck my tongue out at him. “Look, I dunno if it’s at that point yet. Hell, I don’t know what we are."

“Um, I would most definitely say that’s your guy. And I’m really not finding too many downsides to me being partners with the mayor’s girl.” The kid turned that cheeky grin on. “But fair warning- he didn’t look too happy at the way this job went down. You should probably have a chat with him. Guess he doesn’t like it when the Princess gets her hands dirty, huh?” 

Suddenly, we heard someone clear their throat behind us, and turned to see a ghoul, a guy, and a robot leaning against a burnt-out building nearby. “You the two that took that job to clear out the old Pickman place?”

I froze- MacCready went from smiling to serious, fingering the pistol he kept at his hip. “Who wants to know?” he asked.

“Whoa, no need to get all hostile. Name’s Bobbi No-Nose, and this is my partner, Mel,” she said, gesturing to the redheaded guy at her side. "We’re in a bit of a spot and we need some help with a job… figured if you two could handle those raiders, we might be able to use y’all.”

I glared and put my hands on my hips. “What’s the job?” 

Bobbi eyed me up and down. “We’re gonna break into the Diamond City strongroom under the mayor's office. I got a tunnel started, but I got some Mirelurks giving me some trouble. You two look like you could handle anything that gets tossed at us while we get at the stash.” 

I looked at her warily and gestured to Mel and the robot. “Looks like you got some help right there. Why us?” 

She scoffed. "Mel over here is a robot expert, not a shooter, so I need some actual backup. And as for this bucket of bolts,” she said, pointing at the robot, “Sonya over here might not be worth the scrap it took to put her together. But Mel says we need her, and I ain’t gonna argue with him."

I turned to MacCready, who frowned and looked them over. “We don’t work for people we don't know... on credit.” He crossed his arms. "How much you talking?” _Glad you're taking the lead_, I thought. Usually, I’m not one to defer, but since I didn’t have a clue what was going on, I was super happy to let him handle it. 

“Oh, I _like_ this one…” Bobbi said. “I got 300 caps for both of you. I’ll give you half upfront if you can start right away.” 

It was my turn to frown- this whole thing was making me uneasy. I didn’t know these people, and I wasn’t looking forward to having the mayor of a town I desperately needed to go to pissed off at me. “I’m not into robbing people…” I said. “Maybe we should pass on this, Mac." 

Bobbie sneered. “I didn’t ask you to rob anyone- I’m paying you to help me get to where I need to go. You ain’t gotta feel that bad about it- a job is a job. 300 caps, take it or leave it.”

MacCready shrugged and turned to me. “If it’s just a few Mirelurks, I think we can handle it. Not like we’re going to be hauling stuff out of the place for ‘em. I’m down if you are.”

I bit my lip. “But Hancock said-“

Bobbi chortled. “So what, you’re gonna wait and get the mayor’s permission? What is he, your dad? I ain’t got all night, kids.- you want the money or not?”

I thought about it- sketchy or not, I did need the money, and it wasn’t like I was swimming in opportunities right now. “Fine, we’ll clear out the... what were they again?” 

“Mirelurks,” said MacCready. He turned to me and whispered “leave the dog with a note, just in case. And if anything goes south, make sure you shoot her first.”

I nodded and reached in my bag for a pencil and paper, scribbling a quick note and tucking it in the dog’s collar while the kid hid me from view. “Go find Daisy, okay boy?” 

The dog took off towards Daisy's shop, and we followed the trio into the night. 

_ _

* * *

Daisy was just about to close her shop for the evening when she heard a soft woof coming from behind her. When she turned, she saw Dogmeat wagging his tail with a scrap of paper under the loop of rope that served as his makeshift collar. She frowned- it wasn’t like the dog to show up without the girl. “Whatcha got there, huh?” She approached him and grabbed the note, cursing under her breath as she read it. She needed to find Fahrenheit, and fast- if she didn’t, shit was about to go down and she didn’t want any parts of it. “C’mon, let’s go save your owner before Fahrenheit does something stupid.”

As luck would have it, Fahr was at Kill or be Killed, talking with KL-E-O. “Daisy,” she said as the old woman walked in. “What do you need?” 

Daisy shifted from side to side, trying to figure out how to play this- she didn’t want to imply she’d heard about what Bobbi was planning and hadn’t said anything to them. But to be fair, she knew that Hancock and Fahrenheit had heard the rumblings, same as she had. Daisy usually made it a point to stay neutral and not get involved in the shoddy politics of the town. She much preferred advising Fahrenheit and Hancock in private and keeping the damage to a minimum. However, this time the crazy affected her, and she had to do something. “Fahr, I got something to talk to you about. Walk with me?”

The redhead nodded and they started to head down the street. Unsure of how to start, Daisy cleared her throat. “So… how much do you know about what Bobbi’s been up to these days?”

Fahr narrowed her eyes. “Enough. Why do you ask?” 

“It’s going down. Tonight.” Daisy pulled the crumpled note from her pocket and gave it to Fahr. 

Fahr’s eyes were slits. “Who wrote this?”

“Stop foolin’ around, girl. You know damn well who wrote it.” Daisy turned to face Fahr. “You know good and well that those two don’t have a clue as to what’s going on around here- Mac’s too involved in his shit and Gracie’s too new. I don’t want them getting caught in the crossfire when you catch that bitch. Go let John know what’s going for me.”

“Hell no- I’m handling this shit myself,” Fahr said, crumpling the note her hand. “Whether they get out of this or not depends on them. This is business- I don’t want that man thinking on this with his little head instead of his big one.”

“She wrote him a note, Fahr! They ain’t in on it- how much more proof do you need?” 

“I ain’t too worried about it. One way or another, I’m gonna solve at least one of my problems tonight.” She turned to the old woman and the dog. “Go home, Daisy.”

“Fahr-“

“It wasn’t a request.” She tossed the note on the street and ran off towards the freight depot. 

Daisy looked at Dogmeat. “Shit,” she said, picking the discarded note up from the ground. 

Dogmeat woofed in agreement.

Daisy looked down at the dog. “Well, you wanna tell John, or should I?” 

In response, the dog whined and put his head down.

Daisy stooped down and scratched him behind the ears. “Yeah, I feel the same way. Come on- I’m not about to do this alone.”

_ _

* * *

Hancock thought he was clear- head back home and wait for him. She had said she understood and Mac knew that he’d take it out of his ass if he let something happen to her, so what was taking them so long? To ease his mind, he walked out and sat on the steps, looking off into the distance to see if he could see anything down the street. When no one emerged from the darkness, he started to get worried. He was just about to ask one of the guards to be on the lookout for them when he heard barking from the distance- the sound instantly calmed him down. _Thank goodness for that damn dog_, he thought to himself. 

His calm was short-lived when he realized it was Daisy with Dogmeat, not Grace. “Daisy? What’s with you and the dog? Where’s Grace?”

Daisy looked grim. “You want the short version or long version?”

“Don’t play games with me tonight, Daisy. I’m not in the mood.” 

“Well, you’re going to be in even less of the mood when I finish.” She handed him the note. “Grace left this note and sent it with the dog. Long story short, the kids got caught up in Bobbi-No-Nose’s shit.” She took a deep breath and continued. “And it gets worse.”

He pressed his lips together in a tight line. “I’m finding it extremely fucking hard to see how could this get worse, Daisy.”

“I told Fahrenheit first.”

He paled. “Fuck… you’re right, that’s a lot worse.” He stood up, suddenly exhausted. “Shit. Let’s take this inside, huh?”

“Sounds about right,” said Daisy, heading inside with the dog at her heels and standing next to the wall. “So, what’re we gonna do about it?”

Hancock groaned and settled on the couch across from her - he so wished he was high right now. “Unfortunately, absolutely nothing.” He opted to light a cigarette instead- the last thing he wanted was this night to go slower. “Surprisingly, Fahr is right.”

Daisy looked extremely surprised. “Come again? Cause... I think you just said it’s ok for your _daughter_ to blow both your girl and your friend to kingdom come... last I checked, wouldn’t that be the absolute opposite of right?”

“Lower your voice, Daisy.” He took a drag on the cigarette, blowing it out slowly and sending tiny clouds in the room. “Number one, I don’t know where everyone is getting this from, but Grace ain’t my girl.” Daisy rolled her eyes at him, but he continued. “Two, the sad fact of the matter is that I ain’t objective when it comes to the two of them. I don’t think I’m wrong about ‘em, but if I am, I don’t wanna be the one that has to make that call.”

“You know she hates her, right? Grace could be a goddamn saint and Fahr might still shoot her on principle.” She was trying her damndest to make him see reason, make him do something besides just sit there. 

“True, but she ain’t shootin’ Mac without a damn good reason,” Hancock countered. "MacCready’s useful- say what you want about Fahr, but she’s not into wasting a resource. As long as Grace is on the up and up and Mac is there, she’s safe.”

The old woman scowled at him. “You’re a cold-hearted sonofabitch, you know that?” Dogmeat growled at Hancock in agreement. “That girl trusts you and you’re just gonna sit there?” Daisy looked mad enough to spit. “Damn it, John, I never thought I’d see the day you let something like this happen to someone you care about... If that’s the case, why hell did ya even bother to save her?”

“Daisy, please...” he finished his cigarette and put it out on the edge of the ashtray next to him. “Look, it ain’t that I don’t want to help,” he said, pleading. "If that’s all it was, I’d be over there in a fuckin’ heartbeat, no questions asked,” he said softly. “But I can’t go- I’m the mayor. If I go running to her rescue, we’re both good as dead- anyone with at least half a brain and some ambition is gonna know that to get to me, all they gotta do is get to her. I can’t put myself in that position… Hell, I can’t put her in that position. Shit, it’s probably why Bobbi picked her for the job in the first place- it’s not like she would know any better.” He sighed, putting his head in his hands. 

“You know, one of these days you might have to choose between what you want and what the town needs,” said Daisy, crossing the room and sitting next to him on the couch. “And I’ll tell you one thing- in all the years I’ve known you, I ain’t never seen you look at someone the way you look at her.” She paused, waiting for him to deny it- he didn’t. “You’re sweet on her, John.”

“Can’t have her, Daisy.” He stared at his hands. “She’s gotta go find her kid, and I gotta stay here. Like you said, the town needs me- can’t go running off to play white knight in the Commonwealth, even if I wanted to.”

“Oh hang the damn town, John!” Daisy exclaimed. “You know ghouls like us don’t often get a shot at being happy out here ... If I was you and a girl like her wanted me, I’d stop trying to deny it every chance I got and move heaven and earth to make it happen. Especially if I cared as much as you do, you big idiot.”

“This ain’t one of your books, Daisy. First things first- let’s see if she even comes back home. Stealing your man’s stash tends to be sort of a dealbreaker, you know.” 

“You know as well as I do she ain’t gonna do that.”

“Tell you what- if Fahr doesn’t shoot her and she wants me to, I’ll head out with her for a while. Between you and Fahr, things shouldn’t go too far sideways while we’re out, right?” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I mean Mac’s good, but he’s got his own business to tend to- she’s gonna need a gun by her side if she wants to find her kid, right?”

Daisy smirked. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

“Whatever, Daisy.”

_ _

* * *

_Oh shit. _

We cracked through the last wall, only to come face to face with Fahrenheit in a massive suit of armor with a big ass gun in our face. All I could think of was _oh shit, this is how I die_. I looked at MacCready, eyes wide. “Mac… what the fuck is going on here? Why is Fahrenheit in Diamond City? She shouldn't care about them stealing from Diamond City.”

Fahrenheit looked down at us from the balcony. “Hey, fancy seeing you down here, in Hancock’s storeroom. You know. Hancock? The mayor of Goodneighbor?” She shot daggers at me with her eyes. “You know, the guy you’re banging, Vaultie."

“Damn it, Bobbie, this ain’t Diamond City! This is Hancock’s storeroom!” Mel shrieked. 

“What the fuck, Bobbi!” I screamed. By this point, MacCready had turned his gun on her. “Why the fuck would you try to steal from Hancock?” I yelled. "What the fuck makes you think I- we would want to steal from him?" 

Fahr gave a maniacal cackle.”C’mon Bobbi! You seriously didn't think Hancock would catch wind of your scheme?” 

Bobbi turned to Mel, ignoring us. “ Listen, Mel, I know this isn't what you expected. But that prick Hancock thinks he’s so much better than me, and I can’t think of a better way to get back at the uppity motherfucker than ripping him off and icing his girl… I don’t want that sonofabitch to have a goddamn thing after this!“

“This is Hancock we're ripping off here, Bobbi!” Mel was getting louder and louder by the minute. "The guy tends to hold grudges! And I damn sure didn’t sign up to kill anyone!”

_Correction: I’m gonna die because I just accidentally broke into somewhere that belongs to the man I like. The irony of this situation is not lost on me._ “MacCready…” I said slowly, “That woman up there with the really big gun does not like me and has promised to shoot me on sight if she even suspected I was trying to fuck something up. Now I’m here in the middle of this cock-up and this _definitely_ looks like me fucking up… I hope you have some ideas.” 

“I do- Let’s just hope it works.” He called up to the balcony. “Hey Fahr?”

Fahrenheit didn’t move- she just kept her large and intimidating gun trained on us. “What do you want, Mac? I’m itching to light up your friends over here. Don’t give me a reason to shoot you too.”

“Easy Fahr… Princess and I didn’t have a clue as to what was going on here-“

“I just want to point out that I didn’t know a damn thing about it either,” said Mel. Bobbi and I both glared at him.

MacCready continued. “Look, Fahr, we sent you the note. I had heard some rumblings about what was going on and I figured I should let you guys know what was up. Had you actually been after that jerk, McDonough, I wouldn’t have an issue with it, but you know Princess and I ain’t out to steal from the mayor.”

“You knew about this fuckshit?” I hissed at MacCready. “I didn’t have a clue about it! I’d never do anything to hurt John!" 

Fahrenheit hissed- MacCready frowned. “Not helping, Princess…” He turned back to her. “We’re as pi- upset about this as you are, Fahr. I’ll do a lot of shady shi-stuff, but I definitely won’t steal from my friends,” he said, looking at Fahrenheit. “Plus, I try not to hang with people who do either- Princess is on the up and up- there’s no way she’d go along with a plan like this."

Fahrenheit considered him for a moment. "I guess the rest of you really are in the dark about this. Counteroffer- help me take care of this, and I might call it even.”

“Done!” I yelled up to Fahrenheit. Adrenaline was coursing through me, making me see red. “You lied to us, Bobbi. And personally, _fuck you_!” I thought about it for a moment and leveled the gun to her head. “Mac, does this qualify as going south?”

“I’d say so, Princess. I think we’re about as south as we can get."

Bobbi didn’t even get a chance to speak- I pulled the trigger and she crumpled, her mouth permanently frozen in a look of surprise. “Bitch,” I spat, and began to shake, dropping my gun on the ground. “She tried… she tried to fucking _kill me_! Seriously, what the _fuck_ is with people out here? I’m _sick_ of this shit!" 

MacCready grabbed me by my shoulders, giving me a quick sideways hug as I shook and seethed with rage. He turned his head to glare at Mel. “You weren’t involved in this?"

Mel looked ashen. “Hell no.” He looked nervously at the balcony. "Sorry for almost stealing from your boss, Miss Fahrenheit, Ma’am. I’m not looking to die for Bobbi… please, just let me go."

“Let him go, Mac... Not his fault his friend was a colossal bitch.” I placed a hand on MacCready’s shoulder, and he lowered the gun. “Look, Mel, I’m sorry it went down like this- I know that was your friend. Personally, I’m rather happy still being alive, so…” Mel didn’t answer- he just nodded and ran off before we could change our minds about shooting him. I then turned to MacCready, eyes blazing. “That was kind of a dick move, you know. You _knew_ we shouldn’t have taken this goddamn job, but you let me do it anyway.”

The kid at least had the decency to look guilty. "Hey, Princess, I had no intentions of letting that dumb sh-crap go down- like it or not, you’re stuck with me.” 

I was still fuming, but I looked over and noticed he had picked up my gun while he was rummaging through Bobbi’s satchel. “What are you doing?” 

“Uh, I’m getting us paid. Worst 200 caps ever,” he said dryly. “I now think that this job beats the first one for sucking. What do you think?”

“Hands down.” I stared up at Fahrenheit, who was leaning over the railing and staring at us. “Um, Fahrenheit… If I move, you aren’t going to shoot me, are you?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” she said cooly. “Follow me.”

— 

It was now around 2 am, and I was going through simultaneous feelings of anticipation and dread as we approached the Old State House. I knew I was in for it- being greedy not only almost cost me my life but almost caused me to hurt the man that was quickly meaning more to me than he should. I could take him yelling at me- like I said, I deserved it. What I couldn’t handle, however, was him hating me or never wanting to see me again. 

If he did that, I would have been better off letting Fahrenheit shoot me earlier, because my heart would be broken beyond repair. _You let him get too close_, I said to myself. _You knew this could happen and you let him in anyway_. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it now, except go inside and accept my fate. Either he’d still be there or he wouldn’t- it was out of my hands. 

Way sooner than I would have liked, we saw a red coat and the embers of a cigarette in the distance. My heart started beating so rapidly I thought it would crash out of my chest as his form slowly came into view. Fahrenheit strolled in front, tossing a look over her shoulder at us. “These two idiots got themselves caught in Bobbi No-Nose’s shit. Just like we thought, that bitch was trying to break into your storeroom. Oh, she also planned to permanently ice the Vaultie to really fuck up your day. When she spilled the beans, the Vaultie ended up shooting her, which was more than I expected, at least.” She glared at me. “Anyway… you need to keep your pets under control, Hancock- I don’t do cleanup duty.” 

I was miserable as he looked over at me. Covered in dirt and blood from head to toe, I felt as bad as I knew I looked. I looked at Mac, who didn’t look much better. “Um, I take full responsibility for this. I should've realized that there was something sketchy about that whole job,” I said. “I just got too greedy- I didn’t stop and think past the money.” I glanced over at Fahrenheit. “Thank you for not shooting me on the way over here- I appreciate it.”

She smirked and the kid piped up. “Hey, Princess, you ain’t gotta do that. I can’t let you take the blame for this one. I decided to take the job. Should’ve known it was gonna be a problem.” He shuffled his feet and looked at the ground. “Sorry about how all this went down, but you gotta know we wouldn’t steal from you, mayor.” 

Hancock stayed silent for an excruciatingly long time. Finally, he sighed. “Thanks for handling that, Fahr. Mac, head home- we’ll talk in the morning.” He started walking up the steps and gestured for me to follow. "Grace, let’s take this inside, huh?” 

I glanced at MacCready, who clutched his hands to his throat and mimicked someone being strangled- Fahr let out a snort and clapped her hand across his shoulder, pushing him in front of her. “C’mon- I’m going to the bar and I want to hear a little more about what the hell happened tonight. Make yourself useful.” She turned over her shoulder to look at me as they started to walk off. “Maybe you aren’t full of shit, Vaultie… Now head in that house before I change my mind about shooting you.” She smirked at me, and then the two of them headed off into the night. 

With no one left to serve as a buffer, I had to face the music. Resigned, I headed inside, and to my chagrin, Hancock was standing in the foyer, waiting for me. “Close the door.” 

I gulped. _Shit_. “Hancock, I am so-“

He put up a hand and cut me off. “Not yet- head upstairs and take a shower first. We’ll talk after.” I nodded and headed towards my room, not exactly disappointed to get away from his disappointed gaze. 

When I got to my room, I noticed that someone had been here- there was a bag on my bed with a note. 

_Dogmeat is at my house- I got your note. Was going through stuff in the back and figured you might want something to change into after your adventure today- Daisy_.

Smiling, I opened the bag to find a pair of underwear and a t-shirt. Perfect- maybe I could change into it and just hop in bed after my shower. Heck, Hancock and I could easily just talk in the morning, which might make more sense anyway. I’d probably be doing him a favor- I was pretty sure I wasn’t his favorite person right now. 

_You’re running, Grac_e.

_Yep, sure am_, I thought and headed for the shower. 

The shower felt amazing- it's unreal how much a shower can do to make you feel like a real person. Standing under the warm water, I was able to scrub off all the grime from my skin and my curls were clean and damp, hanging on my shoulders and leaving weird little water spots. I would need to braid it up before I went to sleep, but I was exhausted- right now, the only thing I was concerned with was sleep. I was practically salivating at the thought of getting into bed and resting- every part of my body was sore from the events of the day. If I wanted to find Shaun, I was going to have to do better than this- it was starting to look like my fitness was going to be an issue.

What was also an issue, I realized, was Hancock laying on one side of my bed. His red coat and hat had been neatly placed over my chair, and he was staring up at me. “I figured you weren’t coming back downstairs, so I came up instead.” He patted the empty spot next to him. “Told you we were gonna talk. Come here.” 

Slowly, and very aware of the fact that I wasn’t wearing nearly enough clothing, I crept across the room and sat next to him on the edge of the bed, twiddling my thumbs in my hands. Shit… looks like no more running- time to face the music. “Um, Hancock, I’m sorry about the storeroom. I didn’t have a clue what was going on, but you have to know-“

“Shhh, Sunshine.” He sat up and gestured to my damp curls. “You know if you go to sleep like this you ain’t gonna be able to comb it in the mornin’.” He twirled a strand around his finger absentmindedly. “Though I can’t say I don’t like the way you look right now."

I turned to look at him. “How would you know that?” 

“Hard to believe, but I did have hair once upon a time, you know,” he said, laughing softly. “Want me to braid this for you? Granted, you won’t be winnin’ any beauty contests, but it’ll do for tonight.” Surprised, I nodded, and he slid to the edge of the bed, pressing his legs softly against sides of mine. The rough feeling of his pants on my bare skin tickled my legs as he deftly moved his fingers through my hair, but I didn’t dare move. The rational part of me realized despite me running previously, I was thoroughly trapped now- his hands were in my hair and his legs were pressed on either side of mine, but I didn’t care one bit.

As he worked, he started to talk. “Sunshine, you scared me today,” he said softly.

My mouth flew open. Really? I thought he was pissed off- the fact that he might be scared never crossed my mind. “Wasn’t my intention,” I said. “I never meant to hurt you.”

“Sunshine, I don't give a shit about that storeroom.” he clarified. “What scared me was the not knowing. I didn’t know if you were hurt, if something was wrong, or if that idiot did something to you… It drove me crazy to know you were out there and know I couldn’t do anything to help keep you safe.”

“I came out ok… ish,” I said. “Why, you gonna abandon all the trappings of leadership and come wandering with me?” When he didn’t immediately respond, I turned and looked at him incredulously. “John, I can’t ask you to do that. You actually have a life here- I can’t ask you to give that up for me."

He stopped playing with my hair for a moment. “But would you want me to?"

I grew quiet, biting my lip. “That’s not fair, hon- it doesn’t matter what I want. What did we say earlier?”

“We said a lot of things,” he mused, finishing my braid and kissing my neck softly. “I don’t rightly recall."

“I don’t want to get my hopes up,” I said, almost too quietly to hear. “I don’t want to get teased with what I can’t have.”

“What exactly am I teasing you with?” He mindlessly ran his fingers lightly up and down my back, tracing patterns no one could see. “I told you earlier I wasn’t running from you. Right now, I’m just trying to run with you. This world ain’t safe, and I know no matter how much I don’t want to, I gotta let you go. The least I can do is get out there and help keep you safe.” He pulled my shirt collar to the side, exposing my shoulder, placing a soft kiss on my collarbone. I shivered at the touch, feeling his kiss burn on my skin like embers. “At least think about it for me, will ya?" 

“OK,” I said. 

He paused, turning to look at me. “OK, you’ll think about it, or OK?”

In response, I gave him a soft kiss on his cheek- for once, he didn’t stop me. “You sure about this? You’d be giving all this-“ I waved my hand around the room-“up for a life of dirt, weird food, mutated bugs, and bullets. I don’t know what I’m going to find. I don’t know when I’ll be back here. Are you sure, like absolutely sure, you don’t want to just call it quits right now? Cause I won’t hate you for it.” I frowned as the lie left my lips. “Well, I might hate you, but just a little bit. I mean, I’d understand… eventually. And avoid you... but mostly understand.”

“I think I like the options of you not avoiding or hating me,” Hancock said. “Plus, I gotta be honest- if you leave or hate me, I can’t do things like this to you anymore,” he said as he kissed my neck. “Besides,” he said, laying down and sliding towards the wall, "you’re my kind of trouble, Sunshine.” 

I smiled, and crawled next to him, settling down for the night into the crook of his arm. “If you’re sure… and I mean really sure… then I would love nothing more than to have you along on this journey,” I said. 

“Then that settles it- tomorrow we set out together to find your kid and get you some answers,” he said. He finally noticed where we were and grinned. “Um, you sure you want me in bed with you like this? Cause I’m liable to fall asleep if you keep me in here any longer.”

I snuggled in closer. “Trust me, John. This right here- this is perfect.” I yawned. "To new partners,” I said sleepily.

“To new partners,” he replied, wrapping his arms around me. 

_ _

* * *

Hancock woke up during the night with a stiff arm and a smile on his face. Grace was nestled in the crook of his arm, a smile on her face and her hands around his waist. Logically, he knew he had to get up- there was so much to do before they got started, but being here right now just felt so damn good. Once he told Daisy, she would sit there with that shit-eating grin when she realized she was right, and Fahr was probably gonna be pissed, but Mac could help pick up some slack- the kid owed him. Not much they could do about it, though- he was heading out. He’d been here a long time and seeing the world would be good for him. It’d help give him that fighting edge, keep him sharp, and let the world know that Goodneighbor was not to be fucked with. It’d be a riot- him and Sunshine taking on the Commonwealth, finding her kid….

_And then what?_

He didn’t have an answer for that and it didn’t matter- the question hadn’t been asked yet. Maybe he’d come up with something later, but for now, he had a beautiful woman in his arms and he had to figure out a way to get up without disturbing her. Slowly, he started to move, but he realized quickly that Grace slept like the dead. She moaned softly when he moved her, but never fully woke up. As she slept, her shirt had risen in the middle of the night, exposing the tattoo he so wanted to touch. 

_I could trace those little lines and kiss her all over_…

He mentally shook himself- now was not the time. One day, he’d lay it out there, but right now? He couldn’t. He knew she had stuff to do, knew she was looking for her kid. He couldn’t take asking her to have him and her rejecting him, so he would have to be content with this. At least this way, he could stay with her- if he was with her, he could keep her safe.

It would have to be enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love MacCready, but that man is so mercenary it makes me think he'd turn on Grace at the first opportunity. Not sure why the junkie drunk mayor is a better option, but hey, who am I to judge.
> 
> I also took a few twists with this one because I didn't want Grace in Diamond City yet, so we just smooshed a few things to make life work. Yay for author shenanigans!  
\--  
Want to find out what Mac and Fahrenheit were talking about at the bar? Check out Chapter 4:It's getting hot in here in _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_


	10. All the news that's fit to print

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hancock and Grace enjoy some time in Diamond City and meet their very own roving reporter

_ _

* * *

“John?” I asked as we stood outside the gates of Goodneighbor.

“Yeah?”

“You got any idea where Diamond City is? Cause I think we’ve already established over the course of these last two events that I have not the solitary fucking clue how to get to this goddamn town.”

He looked down for a minute. “Yeah, I know exactly how to get there, trust me.” He put a location in my Pip-Boy and took a hit of Jet, relaxation slowly washing over his features. 

I stared at him for a second. “Seriously? You’re getting high and leaving me to navigate? You got a death wish I don’t know about?” 

He shrugged. “No better time to learn, right? Ain’t like I’m gonna let you get that lost and drag me out to the ass-end of nowhere.” His gaze wandered about, not focusing on anything in particular. “Besides, it’s my first adventure out here… may as well savor it a little, right?"

Exasperated, I blew a stray hair out of my face. “What am I gonna do with you, John?”

He clapped me on the shoulder. “Whatever you want,” he said as he started to walk off. “You know I don’t mind.”

With nothing else to do except follow along, I groaned and set out after him.

—

After setting the traps for the night, Hancock stared up at the stars, which were visible through the hole in the burnt-out building we were camped out in. “Nice night,” he said, taking another hit of Jet. “How you doin’ over there, Sunshine?”

I laid on the bedroll next to him, partly for warmth, mostly for comfort. “Surprisingly, it's pretty... Different than what I was used to, that's for sure.” 

He settled down next to me, hands folded behind his head. “What was the Commonwealth like before?” 

“Um… to me it was weird. We called it Boston- Back then, everyone was too busy chasing after something or another to stop and just appreciate a moment like this. Hell, I wasn’t immune - I did it too. When I got here, I was way too wrapped up in my career to even stop and think about what I was even doing with my life…. Not that it matters now,” I said glumly.

He turned his head slightly to look at me. “Whatcha mean, ‘when you got here’?” 

“I came to Boston to go to law school,” I said simply, staring out into the night sky. “I heard about an opportunity here, and I took it. Maybe I shouldn’t have- too busy trying to get out of Jersey and make a name for myself to stop and think... ” I stopped, not wanting to go down that path- it wasn’t going to lead to anything good. “Anyway, I’m here now... so that’s that.”

Hancock wrapped me up in his arms and I savored the smell of gun oil, cigarette smoke and vapor that tickled my nose. “Talk to me… what were you like before?” 

I thought about it for a second before responding. “You mean before Shaun or after Shaun?”

He considered the question for a moment. “There a difference?”

“I think so. I mean, when I came to go to school, I was a bit of a mess. Like, I was smart, but I was young and stupid, you know? And after I had Shaun, I had to stop and think… couldn’t run anymore. I had a reason to stay and try to be a better person.” I was rambling, but I kept on. "Sometimes, I’m not sure I am a good person- I try to be, but I’m scared…” I paused, searching for the right way to explain. 

Hancock squeezed me tighter and kissed my forehead. “You don’t have to try- I know you’re a good person. What makes you think you’re not? 

“I...I feel like I’m the bad one. Don’t get me wrong, I love her to the moon and back, but I feel like my sister is the one who's gonna save the world, and I’m just the fuck up. I’m the one who dashed off to Boston without thinking about the consequences, the idiot that got knocked up and had the shotgun wedding…” I shrugged. “I thought that I could do something great out here- I guess I thought that by being a lawyer, I could prove to my mom that I was just as good as my sister... that I could do amazing things, too.” 

“I’m pretty sure she knew that.” 

“Part of me believes that. The other part… you didn’t see her face when I told her about Shaun. It was like her heart was breaking in front of me. I’m scared I disappointed her.” 

“I don’t think she was disappointed- no parent wants a hard life for their kid, that’s all.” He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. “And if she couldn’t see how great you are, fuck her. I see a damn fine woman in front of me- anyone willing to fight through the commonwealth for their kid counts as amazing to me. You can’t live to make other people happy- live for yourself, Sunshine.” 

“Wise words… was that the Mentats talking?”

“Always,” he said, chuckling. “Anyway… that was a bit heavy… tell me about something fun you remember from before.” 

“Well, that depends. Do you want fun happy or fun embarrassing?” 

Hancock snorted. “Do you have to ask? Embarrassing, of course!” 

I thought about it. “Well, when I was younger, my family went to this fair-“

“Wait… what’s a fair?”

“It’s… kinda like a tiny traveling version of Nuka World, with lots of delicious food, music, games, and rides. I used to love the fair, man.”

He smiled. “That sounds amazing.” 

“It really was…So this time, I thought I was too old to be hanging out with my family, but I decide I’m gonna go anyway since there was this really cute boy I liked working one of the rides. Anyway, my sister and I were walking around, and I think I am the absolute most.” I laughed at myself and shook my head. "I was decked out in my short little shirt and tight pants, and I’m showing all the teenage goodies-“

Hancock grinned. “I kinda wish you still had that outfit.”

“Down boy,” I said, poking him in his ribs. “Anyway… my sister wants to get on the ride where the boy I like works, so we go over. I’m swaying my hips, trying to flirt, the whole nine yards, and it’s working. He’s strapping us into our seats, and he’s smiling, I’m smiling. I’m all like, ‘oh yeah, I got this’.”

“Did you?”

“Oh no…” I laughed, shaking my head. "I did not have anything close to it. You see, we were in this little two-seater car, and you had to ride with one person in front, and another in the back. Since I was bigger, I rode in back, and my sister rode in front. No big deal, until it comes time to get off the ride. 

“What happened?” 

I groaned. “Well…I turned my back to the guy and swung my leg way too wide trying to get out the car all cute… those damn tight pants split right down the middle.”

Hancock let out a guffaw. “So you were out there bare-assed, huh? What did you do?”

“Well, since I was trying to be sexy and cute, that had to be the day I decided to wear dental floss style underwear and my shirt wasn’t long enough to cover my bare ass, so I just turned as red as possible and tried to cover my ass with my hands. I ended up running off while my fool of a sister starts laughing her head off. So I found a bench and parked on it while I tried not to die of embarrassment. As I was on the bench debating how I was going to take that bench home with me, my sister came over to me with the biggest and ugliest men’s shirt ever. That shirt was hideous- it was bright orange with a huge smiley face on the front, but she had found it on sale at one of the shops and bought it with her own money so I could cover myself up.” I paused for a moment, lost in the memory. “Never slept without that shirt all summer- even took it with me when I moved to Boston.” I murmured. “It was both a horrible and awesome day, but I won’t forget it… God, I love that girl.” 

He looked at me and smiled. “Get some sleep… I’ll take first watch.” He turned to me, giving me a sly grin. “You sure we can’t find some more of those super tight pants for ya?”

“Perv.”

—

I was really confused. Hancock insisted we were close to Diamond City, but all I could see from where we were sitting was the outskirts of Fenway Park. “John, are you sure you know where we are?”

“How many times are you gonna ask that?” He sounded mildly irritated, and I wasn’t trying to be a pain, but he had been huffing so much Jet across the last few hours that I had to make sure the man still knew what planet he was on. “See? That’s Diamond City, right over there.” 

“John, how fucking high are you? There is no Diamond City here- hell, even _I_ know where this is, and I would remember something like that.” 

He looked at me like I had grown three heads. “Sunshine, do you need glasses? It’s right there!”

I looked at him- he looked at me. “John, are you ok? Seriously- I’m starting to worry about you.”

“Dammit, Grace…” He gave an exasperated groan and grabbed my head, turning to face the ballpark. “That… is… Diamond…City. You cannot possibly miss that fucking thing."

My mouth gaped. “You have got to be fucking kidding me... There is no goddamn way.”

“Believe it. That right there is Diamond City. ’The great green jewel of the Commonwealth’,” he said sarcastically. 

“Sonofabitch!” I sputtered, finally finding my voice. “Do you know what this is?”

Hancock rolled his eyes. “_Obviously_ I do... I just told you what it was.”

“This… this was Fenway Park.” It was now his turn to look confused- I continued. “This was the baseball stadium.” I threw my hands up in frustration. "Goddamn it, had someone told me that, I would have KNOWN where to go.” I kicked a nearby rock and stubbed my toe, which did nothing to improve my mood. "Damn it, I hate this fucking ass-backward apocalypse!”

Hancock’s eyes narrowed. “Sorry you feel that way- I know you hate everything about it out here. I get it- your world was great, and we’re all idiots.” Glaring, he turned away from me and prepared to take another hit of Jet. 

“Oh cut the shit, John,” I said, snatching the canister out of his hand- he shot me a murderous look. “For fuck's sake, I’m not calling anyone stupid- I’m saying the world is fucked up…which you know. You’ve got your damn panties in a twist for no reason!” I grabbed him by the shoulders and he shot me a look that would have skinned a rattlesnake, but I pressed on. “John Hancock, you are the best thing I’ve found since I woke up and you know it!” I tried to look him square in the eye, but his face softened and he began to avoid my gaze. "Why are you acting like this?” 

He shuffled his feet, kicking the dirt and causing pebbles to scatter across our shoes. “S’nothing. Forget about it- let’s just go.” 

“John, look at me… please.”

Reluctantly, he did. “What,” he said.

“John, something is wrong with you… you’ve been acting strange ever since we got close to Fen- Diamond City,” I said. “Now I don’t know what it is, but you’re gonna have to get it together, cause I can’t do this without you.”

He sighed. “Look... I got something to tell you.”

“What, you got a wife in Diamond City or something?” 

His eyes widened in surprise. “Hell no! Look…” He took off his hat and started to fiddle with it nervously. “My name ain’t John Hancock, a’ight?”

It was my turn to give him a confused stare. “Um… Do you want to enlighten me on what it might actually be then? I mean, I assumed it wasn’t, but hey, maybe your family just had a really sick sense of humor."

“I mean, my first name is John, but my last name ain’t Hancock, ok? It’s McDonough.”

The name sparked something in my mind- I turned it over a few times, and finally, it caught. “McDonough? Like Mayor McDonough? The one Bobbi was supposed to be robbing?” 

“Yeah… just like that.” Hancock looked pained. "The mayor is my brother, Grace”

“So… the mayor of Diamond City is a ghoul too, huh?” I paused. Wait… is this a good thing?”

He closed his eyes. “No… he ain’t, and it ain’t good for me at all. Diamond City ain’t friendly to ghouls, so I’m prolly gonna have some trouble inside there.” I started to question him, but he gave me a pleading look. “Look, I ain't lookin' to get into this whole thing right now, but I just wanted you to know in case somethin’ goes down. I ain’t trying to get you caught up in any of my shit, ok?”

I was so confused. “But John-“

“Grace, please,” he said. “Just let it go for now, ok? I promise I’ll tell you the whole damn thing later- hell, I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Just… can we please find Nick first so we can get some answers for you before we go into all this?” 

Well, I wanted answers, but seeing as how I wasn’t exactly being a wellspring of information myself, I could hardly call him out for the same thing. “Fine, John- I’ll let it go, no questions asked. But can you do two things for me first?”

“What?” he asked warily. 

“One- no more lies, be them lies of omission or otherwise, from here on out. We tell each other everything from this point forward. Considering the world I knew blew up and I just met you this week, it seems to me that most of the stuff in our past probably ain’t that critical and can come up later, but I need to trust you now. That work for you?” 

“Sure does,” said John. “What else?”

I held up two fingers. “Two, I need you at my side. I promise not to run if you can do the same… I don’t care what happened before I met you, long as you don’t have a secret wife and love child somewhere that’s gonna come into play somewhere down the line-“ 

“Well, let me stop you right there. There’s no wife or anything, but there is a kid, just so you know.”

I looked at him warily. “Is this something you want to get into now?” 

“May as well… you already met her, ain’t like it’s gonna be a big surprise.” 

I tried to rack my brain for answers- the only name I could come up with was…”Fahrenheit?” 

He nodded. “I never knew about her for a long time- her Mom died a few years back. Apparently, she told her to go to Goodneighbor if something ever happened to her. Been with me ever since.” 

My head swirled. “Makes a bit more sense why she hates my guts, at least.” I stared up into the sky, trying to collect my thoughts, but realized that if I even tried to process all this, I’d be a mess. “Look, can we table this for now? This sounds like one of those conversations we should have a little later.”

“You’re taking all this awfully well,” he remarked. 

“You’ve never encountered compartmentalism until you’ve met my mom and dad,” I said. “You’d be surprised how much I’ve learned to store in pockets for later.”

“Sometimes you scare me, Sunshine,” he said, tentatively reaching for my hand. I grabbed it back tightly and he pulled me closer and hugged me. “Thanks for this… I promise you, I ain’t got no plans on running. Partners?” he asked. 

“Partners, Mr. Hancock,” I replied. “Now let’s go find Nick and get some answers, shall we?”

—

When we arrived at the gate, a young woman in a red coat was yelling at an intercom. “Agh! You open this gate right now, Danny Sullivan! I live here- you can’t just lock me out!” She threw her hands up in frustration. 

A tinny voice emerged from the loudspeaker. “I got orders not to let you in, Ms. Piper. I'm sorry. I'm just doing my job.”

Piper’s face turned bright red. “Open this gate, right now!”

“I'm sorry, but Mayor McDonough's really steamed, Piper. Sayin' that article you wrote was all lies. The whole city's in a tizzy,” said Danny.

Piper howled with rage and turned to us, releasing the call button from the intercom. “You there,” she hissed. “You want to get into Diamond City, right?” 

“Definitely wouldn’t be here otherwise,” said Hancock wryly. 

She glared at him and hissed, “Shh. Play along!” After looking around, she raised her voice. “What was that? You said you're a trader up from Quincy? You have enough supplies to keep the general store stocked for a whole month? Huh.”

I almost blurted out something stupid, but Piper shot me a look and I kept quiet. “You hear that Danny?” she yelled. “You gonna open the gate and let us in? Or are you going to be the one talking to crazy Myrna about losing out on all this supply?”

Danny paused. “Geez, all right. No need to make it personal, Piper. Give me a minute,” he said, and the lock buzzed. 

Piper grinned at us like an idiot. “Better head inside quick before ole' Danny catches on to the bluff,” she said.

Hancock and I both shrugged and followed the girl inside. 

When I arrived, my mouth dropped- this was definitely not the Fenway Park I remembered. The place was alive... It was different from Goodneighbor- there was a vendor selling noodles, someone was screaming something about swatters, and a small child was hocking papers from a nearby booth. I whirled around, taking it all in. “Whoa,” I said. “This is something.” 

“Not the word I’d use for it, but ok,” said Hancock. 

Soon, we heard a throat clear behind us, and we turned. “Thanks for the assist... You all right?” 

I shook my head. “I’m gonna go with no. I can’t believe it... one of the most historic ballparks has become a shantytown- this is my life now.” As my brain reeled from this slew of information, I started to debate the merits of just curling in a ball and hiding under the bleachers. “Today's been great.. just fucking great.” I tried to reach out and grab Hancock’s hand, but he shook his head and moved back. 

I gave him a quizzical look, but Piper interrupted. “Interesting you mentioning that, seeing as you're from a Vault.” 

I switched my gaze from Hancock to the woman. “Huh? What makes you say that?” 

She put her finger to her lips. “Yeah, you're not wearing the blue jumpsuit right now, but the Pip-Boy and that "fish out of water" look? Dead giveaways.” 

I looked at Hancock. “Does everyone know this?” He smirked and shrugged. 

“Anyway... follow me to my office, please.” She glanced around. “Prolly shouldn’t be talking out here, since the mayor wants my head on a pike right now, and your friend over there doesn’t look too happy about being here right now.” 

I glanced over at Hancock and discovered the girl was right- he looked like he was trying to be as inconspicuous as one could be in a bright red frock coat and tricorn, so we started walking through the town. Eventually, Piper led us to a building with a sign for Publick Occurences out front, which happened to be the same one where the little girl was selling newspapers. As we all gathered in the office, I took a good look at the woman. Piper was pretty- she was taller than me, with short black hair she covered with a newsboy cap, and a red leather coat that reminded me of when I used to play Carmen Sandiego on the computer as a kid. Her face was inquisitive, and she looked like the type that wouldn’t stop until she found the truth. If that was the case, I could respect the girl, even if her tenacity might put us at odds if I ever saw her again. 

“So Blue, what’s your story?” she asked, breaking through my thoughts. 

“Blue?” I was so confused- this day was giving me a headache. 

“You,” she said, gesturing to me. “You can take the girl out of the vault suit, but you’re Blue through and through. Name’s Piper, a reporter for Publick Occurrences, and I know that-” she pointed to John- “is John Hancock, Mayor of Goodneighbor.” She shook her head. “Never thought I’d see you here, Mr. Mayor.”

I was curious. “Why not?”

Piper looked at me funny- Hancock just sighed. “Never thought I’d be here, wouldn’t be if Grace over here didn’t need help.”

“You must be something special to get my second least favorite mayor to come to Diamond City, Blue. What’s your deal?”

“Grace. The name is Grace,” I said. “And anyway, what’s so damn unique about this town that one assumes I have to be Queen Elizabeth levels special to get John to come with me? He’s my partner and my friend- we’re a package deal... right, John?”

Hancock nodded, but Piper gave him a funny look. “She... doesn’t know, does she?” 

He quickly tried to change the subject, but Piper wasn’t having it. “Look here Blue, you don’t know what happened in Diamond City, do you?” 

I shook my head, slowly looking at Hancock, who was now looking up at the ceiling. 

“Well, to sum it up... Mayor McDonough kicked all the ghouls out when he became mayor.” She looked at John, who looked like he wanted to take a hit of Jet- his fingers were twitching near his pockets. “So... since ghouls aren’t allowed in Diamond City, it’s kind of a big deal when the Mayor of Goodneighbor strolls into Diamond City with a vaultie, ya know?” 

I was slowly losing patience for the mayor, and I hadn’t even met him. “This is bullshit... I distinctly remember my family dealing with this shit back in the day, but here we go again, 200 years later!” I knew I was working myself up, but I couldn’t stop- the injustice had touched a nerve. “Good grief, is there no statute of limitations on stupid? Maybe not, since the idiots blew up all the history books...” Realizing I was talking too much and both of them were staring at me, I decided to let it go. “Fuck that man. Where I go, John goes- if he doesn’t like it, he can kiss my ass. End of story.” I flew back into the nearest seat, huffing and crossing my arms. 

Piper, however, was too busy mulling over something I said. “200 years? Did you just say 200 years, Blue?”

_So this is one of my nicknames now, huh? It’s better than GraceFace, so that’s a plus, I guess. _

“Yeah... I did.” I looked at Hancock, who didn’t seem opposed to me continuing. “You’re right, I’m a Vaultie, but I’m one of the originals... from before the war.” 

She gasped. “You poor thing! How is that possible?”

“Vault-tec were some shady sons of bitches,” I said. “They got me in a vault alright... neglected to tell me that they planned to make me a human ice cube for the next 200 years.” 

All of a sudden, she got a glint in her eye. “Hey... can you do me a favor?” 

_Fuck, everyone wants something_. “Ummm.... maybe?”

She laughed, and it was a bright sound that made me relax a little. “Hey, it's no big thing... I just want to interview you!”

“Really? Me? Why?” 

“Because... everyone keeps saying ‘Piper, your writing is too depressing, write something fun. You are news, Blue! It’s not every day you find someone who’s from before the war-" 

“And not a ghoul, right?” John said dryly.

“Well.. as a matter of fact, yeah,” Piper said. “I ain’t got nothin’ against ghouls myself, I’m just-“ 

I cut her off. “Please, don’t finish that sentence, Piper. I know you don’t mean anything by it, but what you are about to say is probably problematic as fuck...” I took a deep breath- she didn’t know what she was doing, what it reminded me of, but still... old wounds run deep. “Anyway, since you helped us get in without causing a ruckus, I’d love to help you. Human interest stories always sell,” I said jokingly. 

“Awesome!” She clapped her hands together. “It’ll be quick, I promise. So,” she said, pen in hand. “You’ve just woken up from a vault, right? What do you think of the Commonwealth so far? How different is it from before?”

I thought about it for a minute. “You have no idea how disorienting it is out here.” Hancock snorted from his corner of the room. "I already didn’t know my way around before, and now I’m extremely lost.”

Piper chuckled.”I can see that.” She scribbled some notes on her piece of paper. “What’s been the best part you’ve found so far?”

“The people,” I said, looking directly at Hancock. “I mean, I almost died my first week out of the vault… well, multiple times if we’re counting… and I’ve met more things that would rather kill me than hug me, but I can say I found friends- I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for them.”

“That’s gold,” Piper murmured to herself, making even more notes. “We know its crazy different out here from before…but what was it like in there.. in the vault?”

I swallowed- Hancock looked at me intently, and I realized I hadn’t even told him most of this. _Oh well, time to give out all the goodies, I guess_. “It was… cold. They rushed us in, and didn’t give us any time to even think- I was part of the last group to get inside before the bombs fell.” I shuddered, thinking about it. “All those people, outside, seeing what they thought was salvation right there and not being able to get it… Sometimes I wonder if they were the lucky ones.”

“What about the others?”

“All dead,” I said flatly. “I was the only survivor. I went in with my husband and my little boy, and they… they stole him. Nate had offered to take Shaun while I got into my vault suit...” I said, lip starting to tremble. _Don’t cry, I told myself. You haven’t cried since you woke up- Don’t start now. _

“They froze me, but I woke up… and that’s when I saw it.”

Piper came over and put a hand on my shoulder. Hancock was still on the other side of the room, balling his fists up and shaking silently, but I continued, lost in the memory. “He took Shaun in the ‘decontamination chamber’ with him, and then they put a bullet in his head. Right here,” I said, tapping myself in the forehead. “Nothing I could do except watch them take my son… and stare at me as I got refrozen. That was the last fucking thing I saw… the father of my kid, dead.” 

Suddenly, I felt something slide down my cheek, and I wiped at it with my hand- a tear had escaped my eye. I was powerless to stop it and others, and I sat in the middle of Piper’s office with tears streaming down my cheeks. “My son… they stole him. And taunted me…”

“Who do you think stole him,” Piper said softly.

“I don’t know.” 

She turned towards Hancock, who still hadn’t said a word. “Do you think it was the Institute?” she asked. 

He pressed his lips together tightly, and I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just want to find him.”

She stopped for a moment and looked thoughtful. “They’ve stolen others… but no one wants to say anything or hear anything about the boogeymen of the Commonwealth… so they keep getting away with it. What would you say to someone out there who’s lost somebody?”

“Don’t lose hope,” I said, wiping my eyes in a fruitless gesture to clean my face. “I can’t give up, and they shouldn’t either. Even if it’s only to get closure…” Tears started to stream down my face then- there was no stopping them. "I have to know what happened to my son,” I said. “Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I was holding him instead…would it be Nate here instead of me? Would he care enough to go through all this shit?” I began to feel like my eyes were burning and my heart was on fire. “God, I just want my son- I want my baby back!” 

And with that, my body erupted in loud, wracking sobs. 

_ _

* * *

Since he met her, Grace hadn’t cried, not once. She said she was fabulous at pocketing things, and he could see that. She hadn’t even broken down when was dying- if anything, she had tried to pretend that everything was fine. But when that damn reporter found a chip in her armor and pulled, Grace broke and she broke hard. He had tried to keep his distance because he didn’t want to cause problems for Grace, but when he saw her break down… Hancock couldn’t take it anymore. He rushed to her side and pulled her in his arms, and she clutched his neck like he was a life preserver. _ Judging by what she just said, you just might be one_, he thought. He knew her old man was murdered and her boy was stolen, but to hear her tell it, relive it in front of him… He wanted nothing more to protect her and make sure she never had to feel like that again. _She might just be with me to feel better, but that’s ok_, he thought. _I can be that for her. If it keeps her here with me, I’ll do whatever I need to._

“This interview is over,” he growled. 

The reporter rummaged through a cabinet and found a clean towel and handed it to Hancock, who gently wiped Grace's face with the towel. “Oh, Blue,” Piper said softly. “I hope you find him. If I can help you in any way, you just let me know.”

Piper looked crushed, and Hancock wanted to shake the girl for making Grace cry, but he couldn’t bring himself to even yell. He knew Grace needed this- she couldn’t keep bottling this up- everything comes out sooner or later, and at least now he was here to help her through it. “You go ahead and cry, Sunshine… I know you’re hurtin’- you don’t have to pocket anything for me. Let it out, ‘kay?” 

Hancock hated this damn town- every cell in his body was screaming at him to leave, but he knew Nick was Grace's best bet, so he decided to do something he never thought he’d ever do- he’d have to ask the reporter, a resident of Diamond City for a favor. The thought of asking someone for something burned at him - it wasn’t his style, made him feel weak and small, but for the sobbing girl in his arms, he would risk it.

“Hey, Piper,” he asked softly, trying not to disturb Grace. “Can you do her a favor?” 

The reporter narrowed her eyes at him. “Now why would I do that?”

He glared right back at her. “Cause it ain’t for me… it’s for her.” 

Piper softened, and Hancock pressed on- the worst she could tell him was no, right? “Can you go get Nick and bring him here? He’s the best lead we got right now, and I’m thinking she needs some good news.” He stared down at the girl in his arms, who was sniffling and hiccuping at this point. “I’d go do it, but… you know.” 

The reporter thought about it for a moment, then relented. “Let me go see what I can find out. Can’t have you getting kicked out and Blue getting even more upset, right?” she said, dashing out of the newspaper offices.

\--

A little while later, Grace had finally calmed down and was asleep on the floor with her head on his shoulder when the reporter returned, alone. “What happened?” he asked. 

Piper had a look like she was trying to debate how much to tell him, and Hancock hated that look- he gave it to way too many people himself. “Spill it- where’s Nick?” 

“Um… he’s not here.” She took a breath. “He hasn’t come back from a job yet.” 

Hancock groaned. _Of course this wouldn't be fucking easy- why would it be? _“Will he be back soon? Should we find somewhere to wait or somethin’?”

“Ellie says he should have been back by now,” said Piper glumly. 

“Fuck… he may need a hand.” Hancock looked at Grace, hoping she was going to be up for this- he wasn’t leaving her here alone, even if the reporter did seem to be on the up and up. “Ellie know where he went?”

“Yeah, but you ain’t gonna like it,” she said grimly.

“I haven’t liked one fucking thing about this damn town since I got here,” he said. “What’s one more piece of shitty news?”

Piper ignored his comment. “He was following up on a lead in Vault 114,” she replied. “Unfortunately, you have to get to it through Park Street station… which is filled with Triggermen.”

Hancock growled. “Of course it fucking is! Can’t never be an unguarded warehouse with chems and caps as far as the eye can see, but it can damn sure be a pile of shit on toast…”

Piper glanced over at Grace, who was still passed out. “Don't get it twisted- You are _definitely_ not my favorite person,” she said. “But I feel like this is my fault- anything I can do?"

“Nah, ain’t your fault. Can you give her a bit to get her head on straight before you kick us outta here?” 

“After the time she’s had, I can do better than that,” the reporter replied. She then grabbed a blanket and handed it to Hancock, who proceeded to cover Grace’s sleeping form. 

_Nick can handle himself for a few more hours_, Hancock thought. 

_ _

* * *

It felt like I was moving through a fog as we made our way to Park Street Station. Not only was I mentally exhausted, but I was embarrassed. Breaking down in front of people is so not my style, but what do I do? I choose to let loose in front of two people, one of which happens to be a reporter, of all things. _Crap_! 

As soon as we entered the train station, a thing lurched out at me, snarling and hissing. Immediately I screamed, stepping back to escape its reach, but no sooner had I moved I heard a shotgun blast and saw the creature fly back against the wall- my ears rang from the nearby report of the gun. "What the hell was that!" I asked, speaking for the first time since we left the city. 

Once he had scouted the area and determined it was clear, Hancock reloaded and holstered his gun. "Ferals," he said. "That's what everyone thinks a ghoul is..." He kicked the corpse with his boot- when it didn't move, he began to sift through its pockets. "Nothing left in there but a mindless asshole," he said as I got closer and peered into the face of the feral ghoul. Sure, there was the same scarring Hancock and Daisy had, but this was nothing like them... whoever coined that phrase had certainly chosen the right word for them. 

"You alright?" he asked. 

It was strange- we hadn't said much to each other since we had left Piper's office. He had given me directions and he warned me about issues he saw in the road, but mostly he kept to himself, occasionally huffing the random canister of Jet or smoking. I didn’t know why and I didn’t care to ask, so I would just nod and follow his lead. Being numb and following orders was easy- it was feeling something that was the hard part. In avoidance, I shrugged as I tried to make my way deeper into the station, but he stopped me- with the danger past and me proving that I was still capable of speech, the funeral march was officially over and it was time for me to be an adult again. “No time to talk right now... gotta find Nick,” I mumbled. 

Hancock’s eyes were darting around the station like he was looking for something. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm. “Follow me,” he said, pulling me rapidly towards what looked like an old ticketing office.

Once he had scouted the room and shut the door, I slumped into a nearby chair.“What?” I asked, staring blankly at him. “Why are we here?” 

“Good- you are capable of speaking. Had to check,” he joked- I didn’t respond. Noticing I was still the bare minimum of present, he grabbed the remnants of a nearby crate and pulled it in front of me. “Sunshine,” he said, grabbing my chin and looking at me, “I’mma need you to come back.”

“I’m right here,” I said plainly. 

He shook his head. “No, ya ain’t. You’re just going through the motions and I’m worried about you. You’ve barely said boo since we left Piper’s office, and you ain’t payin’ attention to a damn thing out here. I’m scared, Sunshine. You keep this up and you’re likely to get yourself killed.” He paused and looked around the room, avoiding my eyes. “and… I’m even more afraid that you might actually be trying to off yourself.” Eventually, he looked at me again and swallowed. “So, talk to me. What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” I said flatly. 

“Bullshit, Grace… Something’s up. Remember, rule number one- no more secrets, right? It don’t work both ways.” 

I tried to get up from the chair, but he gently held me in place. “We don’t run, remember? Not from each other. I’m the one person in this whole miserable place you ain’t never gotta run from.” He leaned forward and drew me closer, pressing his head to mine and his warm breath tickled against my skin. “I need you here with me, ok?” 

I sat there silently for a moment with eyes closed. “I’ll be ok,” I said finally. 

He didn’t look convinced. Hell, I wasn’t convinced, so why should he be? “That ain’t an answer to the question,” Hancock said softly. 

“It’d take too long to explain,” I said. “And we don’t have the time right now.” I gently pulled myself from his grip and stood up, grabbing his hands. “Nick needs us, and we don’t have time to talk about me losing my shit.” I stared at him, trying to make my face look convincing. _Game face? Check. Laughing to keep from crying is now enabled. Hiding emotions in 3…2…1..._ “Putting it in my pocket for now,” I said brightly, forcing myself to smile.

“Not running, I promise.” 

Indecision flashed across the ghoul’s face- finally, he sighed and tightened his grip around my hands. “You realize we’re going to have a long conversation later, right?” 

“Soon as we’re alone, it’s you and me. Open book, I promise,” I said, crossing my heart. “Trust me, we’re going to be so chatty you’ll think we’re two old women gossiping over coffee,” I quipped.

Hancock just shook his head and headed out of the room, beckoning at me to follow him.

_ _

* * *

For the first time since they had set out, he was really worried about her. 

Hancock popped a Mentat from the tin in his coat pocket- he offered her one, but she declined. He was s hoping she would take the chem- it might let her put words to whatever crazy shit that was going on in her brain. If he didn’t know any better, he would swear she was fine now- she was even aiming the ghouls and triggermen with deadly efficiency, and she’d even started joking and flirting with him again. But something felt… off. Every joke, every smile, every touch… it didn’t feel natural anymore. 

To Hancock, it was like she was remembering how to do it a split second before she did it, and he didn’t know what to do about it. What he _did_ know was that she had completely shut down on the idea of talking about it right now, and there was nothing that he could do to get her talking about it till she decided she was going to do it. Everything she was doing was practiced- what pissed him off about the whole thing was that she was doing it for his benefit. He didn’t want her to perform for him. He didn’t want this fake version of her- he wanted the real one. 

_How do you know which is the real version?_

Rationally, he didn’t know. She could be emotionally dead and playing him for whatever reason or this could be how she truly was- hot one minute and cold the next, but when he thought about it and looked at her, Hancock just knew- this wasn’t her. Realizing that this wouldn't be solved right away, he decided to take a moment and gather his thoughts, popping another Mentat and letting the berry flavor wash over his tongue. Soon, Grace walked past him, trying to be quiet but failing miserably- it sounded as if she was kicking every can in the damn subway. He didn’t know even how she was doing it- there wasn’t even that much debris nearby, but every few steps...

_CLANG_! He looked up at the noise and noticed Grace tripping over a railroad track partially covered by debris. She caught herself and let out a hiss. “Son of a witch bitch!” she said, staring at the buried track as she straightened up. 

Hancock raised an eyebrow at her, and she grinned. It wasn’t one of those fake smiles she had been offering all day, when the light never reached her eyes- no, this was a genuine, honest-to-god grin, the kind that made her eyes shine like emeralds, the kind that made you wonder what the hell you’d ever done to deserve something so beautiful and made you want to run and do whatever stupid thing she had up her sleeve at the moment. 

The other Grace that was there before could go to hell- This was _his_ Sunshine... and he knew it without reservation. 

And then… Hancock felt like his heart was breaking as the mask slipped back on. The light in her eyes was dimming right in front of him, and he couldn’t take it- for a moment, he had gotten a glimpse of his girl again, and he didn’t want to lose her again- he couldn’t lose her again. He had to do something. 

He knew this wasn’t the time or the place, but he could no more have stopped a Super Mutant with a BB gun than he could have stopped himself at that moment, and despite being unsure of what she would do, Hancock suddenly pulled her into his arms and pressing his lips to hers. Her eyes widened in genuine surprise as his lips met hers, and at that moment he knew deep in his soul that this was the real her and decided that whatever happened to them afterward was worth it to feel something like this. 

She let out a soft gasp and he could feel that soft puff of warm air rush across his lips. Other than that, she was quiet- just when he was wondering if he should pull back, he felt her melt into his arms and kiss him back. He knew he should stop, but he could taste her on his tongue, all sweet from the bubblegum she had grabbed to prove she could still blow bubbles, and his heart sang every time her mouth found him- it was like she was trying to commit the taste of him to memory. His eyes were closed and his heart was thumping as he tried to form actual words, but finally, he settled for placing one last kiss on her lips and tracing her bottom lip with his thumb. He was stalling and he knew it- for all his bravado, he couldn’t take seeing that cold version of her staring back at him. 

When he opened his eyes, he was greeted with green ones that were bright and wide. She was still grimy from their exploits in the subway- her face was red and her lips were swollen, but damn she was beautiful to him. Gone was the emotionless facade that she had been putting on for the last few hours and in its place was pure her - emotions flittered across her face like butterflies, each alighting for only a moment before she finally settled on a mixture of confusion, lust, and joy. 

“Hancock… what… why…” she stammered. 

“Shhh…” he whispered in her ear, causing her to blush, and then straightened up, flashing her that famous grin of his. “We’re talking later, remember?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad but valid point- the pants story is true. It was me and my kid at Disney and there were no cute boys, but they definitely split on space mountain. And the gaudy shirt ended up being bought by me.


	11. The best detective in the Commonwealth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick Valentine is pretty observant and has a chat with Hancock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus posting! Traveling alone across the country and being smashed against window like a can of Cram means you get ahead on your writing schedule, at least. 
> 
> Enjoy- see you next week!

_ _

* * *

I touched my finger to my lips absentmindedly- I could still feel the pressure of him on my swollen lips, and despite my efforts not to, a goofy smile was spreading along my face. 

_Yeah, the man has game, I’ll give him that._

Soon, we encountered a group of guys Hancock called Triggermen, and we ducked for cover behind a husk of a train car. My heart was thumping and my adrenaline was pumping as I returned their fire with a volley of my own. To my dismay, I heard that telltale click-click-click and let out a frustrated grunt as I struggled to reload my weapon. 

Hancock took out the remaining gunmen and plopped down next to me with a flourish. “I think that’s the last of ‘em,” he said as he popped a berry Mentat into his mouth. 

_Oh wow, is that what he tasted like? _

I shook the thought from my brain, trying to focus. Damn that man- every time I tried to focus on something else, I’d get drawn right back into the feel of his lips on mine, or the taste of him on my tongue, or-

Hancock was staring right at me, eyes alight with amusement. “You a’ight there, Sunshine? You look a little flushed over there,” he said, smirking.

Trying to deflect from his accurate assessment, I glared at him. “We gonna talk about that at all? Like even a little bit?”

“Sure… just as soon as you lay out what had you acting like a broken synth for the last few hours.” 

_No idea what a synth is, but touché_. I decided to be the mature one in this situation. “Oh, go fuck yourself, John,” I retorted. 

Hancock chuckled. “I could, but then wouldn’t you miss out on all the fun?” I was determined not to dignify that with a response, but my face turned traitor and burned bright red- you could see the ideas flitting across his face as he looked at me. 

Suddenly, he started to gaze past me, eyes squinting and settling on something in the distance. “Hey, what’s that over there look like to you?”

“Someone trying to shift the conversation?” I offered. “Someone being an infuriating asshole? A mayor of a nearby town being an insufferable twat? Stop me if I’m getting warmer, I got a ton of them.” I crossed my arms and turned around in a huff. “Or-“ I stopped mid-sentence, finally seeing what he had obviously seen right before I shoved all the shoes in the shoe store in my mouth. “It’s a vault door,” I said, turning back to him. 

“That’s what the insufferable twat thought it was,” he said. “But being an asshole and all, I had to make sure. You know, just in case.”

I punched him in the shoulder. “I hate you so much right now.”

He smiled, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze and planting a light kiss on my cheek. “I know you do,” he said, walking towards the door. “Hey, you came from one of these- got any clue how to open it?” 

Checking around the console, I finally found what I was looking for. “Got it!” I said, plugging my pip-boy into the control panel and opening the lock. “Pays to be a vaultie, I guess.” 

“I think I’ll pass,” he said.

I started to say something as we walked in and Hancock clamped his hand over my mouth. “Shhh,” he whispered. “There are guys nearby- I can hear ‘em.” I licked his hand in response, and he took his hand off my mouth, shooting me a dirty look. “You do realize we’ve been traipsing in a subway and I’ve been pickin’ pockets all day, right? Lickin’ all that muck can’t be good for ya.” I paled- the man was right. 

“Great, I survived the apocalypse and I’m now going to die of dysentery because I can’t keep my tongue in my mouth,” I muttered. “Care to tell me what that kiss was about before I die?"

He started rooting in his pockets and pulled out a syringe. “Gimme your arm and you can wait for your answer just like I’m waitin’ for mine,” he said softly. 

I shook my head. “No drugs,” I whispered. 

He looked confused. “Just something to help your system counter whatever poison I know you just licked up out here. Which, by the way, was your own damn fault,” he said pointedly.

I paled again. “I know, but I don’t take chems, Hancock- I can’t.” I knew I sounded irrational, but I also knew I couldn’t have them- it would end in disaster. 

He looked at me and sighed. “This ain’t up for debate. I can’t get you to a doc till we get back home, I got the meds to fix ya right here, and you’re the one that got us in this situation. Roll up your sleeve, now,” he said. 

My eyes scanned his face, wide with panic. “Only if you have Addictol in that bag of yours… if you do, I’ll take it. I can’t…”

“I ain’t got time to argue with you- we gotta move.” Suddenly, Hancock had grabbed my arm and injected the contents of the syringe in my wrist with lightning-fast speed- he was done before I could continue to protest. Afterward, he reached through his bag and found a small canister. “Here,” he said, tossing me the Addictol. “I don’t think you need it from one dose of Med-X, but if it’ll get you moving, take it.”

Hurriedly, I huffed the chem, hoping to counter the effects I was sure were coming. “Thanks and _fuck you_ for doing that… I just told you I can’t have chems and you did it anyway,” I hissed. “Way to respect boundaries, you prick.” 

He didn’t even flinch. “Get mad later- you’re still alive and you ain’t strung out, so let’s get moving- we gotta save Nick."

_ _

* * *

Hancock watched her as they crept through the rest of the vault, hiding from the patrols they could and taking out the ones they couldn’t avoid. She was quiet, constantly rubbing her wrist. He knew he did it right- a junkie always knows how to find the mark in any situation. But the way she reacted… she was terrified of the chem. Most people had that kind of hatred for Psycho, but he’d never seen someone freak out like that over Med-X or Jet. He popped another Mentat as she ran in front of him, trying to stay out of her way as they plowed through the men in the vault, trying to mull over what the hell had happened back there and how he could fix it.

After they cleared the hallway, he walked over to her and put his hand gently on her shoulder, waiting to see if she’d pull away from him. He knew he’d deserve it if she did, but he was hoping against hope that she wouldn’t. She tensed up for a second, and Hancock felt his breath hitch in his throat until she relaxed under his hand. “You’re an addict,” he said softly. 

She shook her head. “Close, but no. Child of one… got the same addictive personality, though.” She tapped a finger to side of her head, giving him a wan smile. "Ticking time bomb, right here.” She took a look around the room, avoiding his eyes as she talked into the quiet room. “My dad got committed for that shit... and I saw how long it took for him to claw his way back. He damn near lost everything- me, his career, his life... Not trying to go down that path.”

Hancock promptly felt like shit- her reaction and refusals had started to make sense. “Does my using ‘em bother you?” 

She shook her head. “I learned to ignore what others do a long time ago. Hell, I drink like a lush, and I know I shouldn’t. Fully aware that it’s a slippery slope, but…” she shrugged. “What can you do, right?"

“I’m sorry,” he said. The words felt foreign on his tongue, but truthful. “I didn’t know and I didn’t have the right-“

She waved him off. “Now ain’t the time. Pocketing,” she said lightly and began squinting off into the distance. “Wait...” she got quiet for a moment, focusing her attention away from him. “I see a guy guarding a room over there. What do you think he's guarding?”

“My money’s on Nick,” he said. 

“Mine too,” she said. “Wait, he’s leaving- let’s get over there, quick!”

He didn’t have time to argue- she had already sprinted towards the doors. 

_ _

* * *

The guy that was in front of the room at the end of the hallway left just in time to break up what was undoubtedly to become an afterschool-special type conversation, and I was so glad for it. I was more than happy to table the conversation for now, but I knew we were headed for one helluva fireside chat when we got a minute. Between Hancock and his need to play Captain Save-a-ho, his family issues, and my inability to communicate like a human being, we weren’t exactly the pinnacle of mental health… but _we_ were the ones meant to save someone? _The universe is not without a sense of irony, it seems. _

However, we approached the glass and found a odd-looking man looking strangely relaxed for being trapped in a room with angry gun-toting dudes outside of it. He looked up as we came into view, and his yellow eyes glowed with recognition. _This must be what Hancock meant by a synth_, I thought.

“Well, whaddya know…it's my favorite mayor, coming to spring me from the joint- fancy meeting you in a place like this. Did Ellie send ya?” 

“Yep, she figured the old bucket of bolts might need a tow back home, so she sent the cleanup crew after ya.” He smiled fondly at the man.”Good to see ya, Nick- how’s my favorite detective?”

“Eh... could be worse.” At that point, the synth looked over at me, curiosity playing on his face. “So... who’s the dame?”

I looked over at the man, trying to wrap my brain around the new information. “Um, I’m Grace...” I said shyly. “Nice to meet you.”

He tipped his hat at me. “A classy name for a classy dame,” he said politely. “Pleasure to meet you, miss.” He stood up and straightened his brown trench coat, pointing to the door. “Now that we’ve gotten all the basic pleasantries out the way, you two mind opening up the door so I can get out of here? Got the feeling ol’ Dino won’t stay gone forever."

“Sure thing,” Hancock said and tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked, Nick.”

“Funny, that seems to be the case far too often.” He paused for a second. “Look for a nearby terminal.”

I brightened. “That I can do.” I saw the keypad near the side of the doorframe and realized it was password protected. “It’s got a password, but I think I might be able to get around it,” I said as my fingers flew over the keys. Nate had hated this old hobby of mine, but I was more than capable of picking a few locks and hacking a few terminals. Made for a really shitty time for him whenever he tried to hide something, but that was his own fault. After a few unsuccessful tries, I got into the system and was able to release the detective. 

“Thanks, Doll. I owe ya one.” He took a look around, and Hancock gave him one of the extra pistols he had in his pack. “I think it’s time we blow this joint… any objections?" We shook our heads. “Good. This is Skinny Malone territory- let’s try to get on out of this quick and quiet-like.”

—

Well, we were good on the quick part, but we were terrible on the quiet aspect- I tripped over something on the floor and Hancock groaned as we heard footsteps rapidly approaching. “Do you have something against silence, Sunshine?”

“I’m not trying to fuck shit up on purpose, you know! I’m just…”

“Clumsy,” Hancock said simply. “You’re just clumsy.”

“You two done over there or do I have to handle this myself?” Nick said, readying his pistol at the oncoming assault. Thoroughly chided, I grabbed my gun and prepared to fire- Hancock did the same, and Nick nodded, steadying himself. “Now that you two kids look like you’ve remembered we’re in the thick of a firefight, I think we might be able to make some headway. Let’s clear ‘em out.”

We went to work on removing the unfortunate Triggermen and after finishing we approached the exit. “So Nick,” I said, trying to make conversation and redeem myself for my horrible stealth skills, “how’d you end up down here anyway?"

“Well, I guy hired me out for a case looking for Darla, his daughter. Long story short, I come down here looking for her and it turns out the bird is in on the whole thing. Gets me locked up down here, and the rest is history.” He turned to me and gave me a wink. “Can’t be too disappointed with a rescuer that’s so easy on the eyes, even if she ain’t light on her feet. ”

“Oh,” I said, blushing. “Are you always this charming to women who rescue you?”

He winked. “Only when they’re as pretty as you, doll.” 

Hancock narrowed his eyes and put his hand on my waist, pulling me slightly closer- my insides fluttered at his touch. Nick gave Hancock a knowing look but didn’t say anything about the exchange as we continued towards the exit. 

Just as we were exiting the vault without further incident, we ended up smack dab in the middle of a bunch of angry Triggermen and a fat guy in a suit who was dealing with a screeching girl. She was wearing a getup I thought was thoroughly ridiculous for where we were. 

The harpy started up again as soon as we exited. “I told you we should have just killed him, but _no_! You had to be all sentimental about it, talking about the good ol’ days." She poked the fat guy in the chest. "Screw that, waste him _and_ his friends!” 

The fat guy’s eyes met Nick’s for a split-second- he looked like he was having a really shitty day. He started to protest. “But Darla, honey-“

At this point, I was at my limit of patience and the woman was giving me a headache. “Pardon me, but you would be Skinny Malone, right?” 

Taken aback by my polite question, the fat guy paused. “Yeah, who are you, lady?”

Hancock was shooting daggers at me- he looked like he was mentally calculating how to move me from the front of this fray without escalating it, but I ignored him. “Look, we’re sorry about intruding, but I really need the detective here.” The harpy named Darla started to protest, and I pointed a finger at her. “Actually, it's your girl’s fault we’re here in the first place. Nick got a job to come find her.”

Skinny Malone paused. “That true, Nick?”

Nick nodded. “Yep. Her old man hired me to find her. Looks like I did the job- next time, try harder not to be found, sweetheart.”

“Look, we ain’t here to cause any more trouble,” I said evenly, praying this would work- I was counting on him having a genuine affection for the detective and placing a lot of trust in it. _C’mon law school education- please be good for something in this god forsaken place_. "Just let us go- Nick here will owe you one, and no one else has to get hurt.”

Skinny looked like he was considering it, but then Darla started screeching again. I cut her off mid-sentence, my fucks level fast approaching zero. “Look here, you loud, obnoxious cunt, if it wasn’t for you none of us would be here in the first place. I’m trying to let everyone out of here with no problems.”

I looked around the room and locked eyes with every person in there before settling my gaze on her. "But if we have to get into it, you _best_ believe I’m gonna put a bullet in _your_ brain first for fucking up my day, you feel me?” I narrowed my eyes at the woman. "And you are going to die first... make no mistake about that. That, my friend, is a _promise_. I’d much rather get you back to your dad, understand?"

“Your dame runs a little hot, huh?” Nick muttered under his breath.

Skinny stepped in. “All right, all right. Looks like there’s a misunderstanding here, and we don’t need to bump this up any further. I’ll tell you what- I’ll give you till the count of ten to get you and this broad out of my sight. You hang around, I’m handling it. Understand?”

“More than fair,” I said. “Come on, let’s get the fuck outta here,” I said, heading towards the exit.

\--

As soon as we emerged out of the station into the night air, Hancock whirled on me, enraged. “What the fuck was that about, Sunshine? You could’ve gone and got yourself _killed_ back there!”

I ignored his rage. “Nick, you saw it, right?” Nick nodded, but Hancock just got even madder, so I placed a hand on his. “They weren’t going to shoot us. Skinny was looking for a way out while saving face, and I gave it to him. The screechy girl was giving him grief, and I gave him an exit without causing a ruckus.” I patted his cheek, knowing it was patronizing, but fuck it- I was still a little heated from the Med-X incident. “I was just reading the room,” I said simply. 

“Classy and smart,” Nick said, smirking. “Where’d you find this one, John?”

“Oh, it was amazing. I was bleeding to death on his doorstep. It’s totally the new way to hook up,” I said, grinning. “John’s my hero.”

“Who apparently can’t save you from yourself,” he grumbled. 

“Others have tried, all have failed,” I quipped. “Don’t take it too hard, hon.” I let out a yawn, and Hancock and Nick looked at me. 

Nick eyed me with concern. “You look ready to drop, sweetheart.” He paused for a minute, then turned to Hancock. “Maybe we should stop by your home town for a minute and let her get some shut-eye before we traipse all over the Commonwealth. How’s that sound?”

Hancock thought about it for a moment. “That ain’t the worst idea. We can all get some rest and I can make sure Fahr hasn’t murdered everyone in town for looking at her cross-eyed.” 

I laughed and yawned again. “And food. Don’t forget the food- food sounds amazing right now,” I sighed. “Oh, and a drink. I so want a drink. Today seems like a day for a fuckton of alcohol.”

Nick began to laugh at us as we started walking towards Goodneighbor. “While you two kids are entertaining and I owe you for the timely rescue, I doubt you all were just passing through,” he said pensively. “So, what do you need with an old gumshoe like me?”

“I need your help with a case,” I said plainly. 

Nick nodded. “That appeared to be the case. But considering you went looking for me, it seems like it's gotta be something big, right?

Hancock looked at me, then looked at the detective. I think he was scared if I talked about it again I might shut down- the sad part was that I couldn’t outright say he was wrong. “She needs to find her kid. Someone killed her husband and kidnapped him.” 

Nick looked thoughtful. “Hmmm…" He turned to me. "Care to have a chat with me about it when we get back to Diamond City? I want to sit for a spell and look over my files, take some notes… ”

“Most definitely,” I said, choking up. “Thank you so much, Nick.”

“Ah, don’t go thanking me yet, sweetheart,” said the detective. “We still gotta find something." 

“But it's a start,” I said with relief. “_Finally_... I have a start,” I murmured to myself. 

—

MacCready was hanging around near the gate when we entered Goodneighbor. “Hey, Princess! Welcome back!” he called out brightly. 

“Mac!” I yelled, running up and hugging him. “How come you’re up? Ain’t it past your bedtime?”

He gestured towards Hancock. “Well, the boss was away, so…” He laughed and shook Hancock’s hand. “Welcome back, Mayor. And I see you brought the best detective in the Commonwealth, too.” He gave Nick a wave, which Nick returned. 

“Well I’m hungry and sober, so I should be selling off some of this junk and saying hi to Dogmeat and Daisy before I eat Charlie out of house and home,” I said, stifling yet another yawn. “You boys gonna be alright without me?”

Hancock smirked. “We’ll manage,” he said. 

“Good deal. I’ll meet you all at the bar, _cause I know how to get there_,” I said proudly. “Mac, you feel like joining us?” 

“Sure, why not.” MacCready glanced at Hancock, then turned to me. “You want some company? I have to talk to Daisy anyway, so I may as well head on over with you and keep you out of trouble."

I scowled. “I don’t need a bodyguard-“ Hancock snorted, but I continued anyway. “But I can always use a friend.” I turned to MacCready. “I’d love the company, thanks.” I waved at Nick and Hancock. “See you guys over there- don’t worry, we won’t be too long.”

Hancock waved and I dashed off with the merc to see my dog and my friend.

_ _

* * *

Bless the detective for noticing that Grace was about to fall out because Hancock sure hadn’t- he’d been too wrapped up in his thoughts. After Grace took off with the kid (good on him for suggesting it, because Hancock had no intentions of letting her go off alone) he went to see Fahr, who had cussed at him furiously before giving Nick a nod of her head, which was high praise for her. He would need to see Daisy about the stuff people were too scared to talk to Fahr about, but that obviously meant it could wait for another time. For now, he’d give Grace her space- though he wanted to swat at the kid a lot of the time, he knew she was safe with him.

Hancock and the old detective made their way through the streets of Goodneighbor, which were still bustling despite the late hour. He popped another Mentat as they walked into the bar, trying to get out of his head. He and Grace still hadn’t talked about what happened with them in that subway and he was itching to get some answers- even if it meant he had to spill some secrets too. 

Nick was quiet on the way over, but Hancock didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he just focused on getting into the bar and ordering drinks for all of them. Hancock offered the synth a cigarette, which he accepted, and the two sat down to wait on Grace and MacCready to join them. 

Out of the blue, Nick spoke. “So, what’s with you and the dame?”

Hancock shot him a look. “Why is this everyone’s favorite topic of conversation every time I come into this bar?” 

Nick watched him closely. “You haven’t answered my question, John. What're your intentions with her?” He stared at Hancock, who had picked up his drink and was actively avoiding the detective’s gaze. "She seems like a good kid- I'm just not sure I wanna see you treatin' her like the dime a dozens I see you hanging around with every few weeks.”

“She ain’t like that, Nick. Sunshine’s special,” he said without thinking. “She’s a pre-war... got some issues that we need to talk about, but I just wanna make sure she finds her kid, that’s all.”

“I’d say it looked like a little more than that back at the station, John.” The detective fixed him with a stare. “Not to mention the touches, the nicknames… you got it bad for her.” Nick took a drink from his glass and continued to puff on the cigarette. “At least you ain’t the only one, though.”

_That_ got Hancock’s attention. “What do you mean?”

Nick took another drink. “Ain’t it obvious? She’s sweet on you, John.”

Hancock gave a soft harrumph and Nick chuckled. “I’m watching the two of you, and I see her face light up when you touch her, or how she looks to you first when she ain’t sure about something, or how much she tries to protect you even when you’re trying to protect her.” He took another sip of his drink and continued, staring hard at the ghoul. “So, the question is, are you ready to do right by someone, John?”

Hancock stared at him. “She’s gotta find her kid, and I can’t stop her from doin’ that. What I want don’t matter right now.” 

Nick gave him a sympathetic glance. “She know how you feel about her?"

Hancock grabbed a canister of Jet out of his coat and inhaled, trying to slow down his thoughts so he could just _think_. “Probably.”

The detective took one last drag and put out the cigarette.“Probably ain’t definitely. You tell her?”

“Course not,” said Hancock, taking a sip of his drink. “What’s the use?”

Nick finished his drink and rested his arms on the table. “You should probably tell her before you miss your chance, son.”

"Are you speaking from experience or talking out your ass,” snapped Hancock defensively.

Nick was undeterred. “Experience,” he said sadly.

Hancock looked across the room, watching as Grace and MacCready entered the bar. “Just cause I want her don’t mean I can have her... life ain’t that simple,” he said sadly, taking another drink.

Nick didn’t answer- he just stared at the man and ordered another drink. Silently, he watched as the girl approached the table and the mayor once again tried to hide what everyone except the one person who needed to know could easily see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to find out what Mac, Grace, and Daisy were up to? Check out Chapter 5: Reading is Fundamental in _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_


	12. The different kinds of running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hancock and Grace chat and stop pocketing things… mostly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just finished running myself, and couldn’t let it pass without this chapter since it was so aptly named!
> 
> This chapter is mildly NSFW, but really, it’s about freaking time!

_ _

* * *

After stuffing ourselves with food and drink, we decided to split off. Mac headed off to his room, and Hancock agreed to let Nick stay with us at the statehouse. My mind was jumbled- I was so tired, yet I was still reeling from the highs and lows of the day. 

And from the looks of it, the surprises weren’t done. We were by his bedroom when all of a sudden, he decided to drop a bombshell. “You can take Grace’s room, Nick. It’s the one at the end of the hall.” I opened my mouth in protest and Nick looked like he was going to start in on a lecture on impropriety, but before either of us could voice anything, Hancock continued. “Grace can take my room, and I’ll sleep on the couch.” He gestured for me to go in and started walking Nick down the hall. 

I was kind of shell-shocked when I walked into his room. I had only peered into it when Fahrenheit (_also known as your kid- way to drop that one on me, hon_) caught me, so I was determined to take my time to explore the space that Hancock called his own, despite the fact that I felt like I was invading his space. _I can’t be snooping_... I told myself. _He’d invited- no ordered- me to go in, so it’s not trespassing, right? _

Softly, I crept through the quiet space, trying to gather my thoughts and absorb everything I could about the room. It was cleaner than I expected, with all the basic items, bed, nightstand, and a writing desk and chair in the corner. I was expecting a drug den, but the only thing the desk was covered with was books and papers. _This is actually... more than I was expecting,_ I mused. I kinda thought he wasn’t serious about being mayor, but here he was with trade agreements and old books on various subjects- I guess the man did love his town.

I walked over to the bed, which had a thin blanket tossed at the foot with a small flat pillow at the top. _Makes sense, John’s always hot. It’s like sleeping with a personal space heater._ I smiled at the thought, and made my way over to the bed, feeling the emptiness of the room. I wondered if he liked the solitude when he slept in here- since I woke up, sleeping alone was terrifying to me. 

_Get a grip, Grace- you’re a grown woman. You can’t have a cuddle buddy every night to help you go to sleep, so what are you gonna do about it? _

_Have every nightmare imaginable and try to get a reasonable facsimile of sleep_... I looked around the empty room as I removed my shoes and sat on the bed, hugging myself tight and trying to shake off the fear. _I wish I had the dog_, I thought wistfully. 

Just as I was getting lost in a mental spiral, I heard footsteps- Hancock had returned from helping Nick to his room. “Need anything?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe. 

_You. _“No, I’m fine, thanks,” I replied, unfolding my arms. 

His lips curled up in what wasn’t quite a smile. “You’re a terrible liar, you know.” He strode across the room to me. “You still owe me a chat,” he said quietly. 

“I’ll make you a deal- stay with me and I’ll talk.” I patted the bed next to me. “Plus, you’re really warm and the bed is plenty big- no sense in letting the couch absorbing all that wonderful body heat I could use.”

Hancock smiled and took off his coat and hat, placing them on the back of his chair. “You drive a hard bargain, Sunshine,” he said as he sat down on the edge of the bed and began unlacing and removing his boots. “You planning on sleeping in all that?” He gestured to my gear, which I had neglected to remove. 

In retrospect, this was absolutely disgusting, considering that this was his bed and I was basically putting all the dirt from outside right into it. _Mom would have your head_, I thought. Embarrassed, I hopped up and started taking off the jacket and jeans I was wearing and walked back to the bed, quickly realizing I was standing in front of him in nothing but a t-shirt and my underwear. _Just own it, girl- one thing we know you aren’t is shy. _

John scooted over and made space for me to get into the bed, and I slid in next to him. “Aren’t you overdressed for bed,” I asked. 

If there was a doubt about it before, his smirk was prominent now. “Trust me, Sunshine.. you don’t want me taking off anything more."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say these pants are the only thing standing between me and a slew of bad decisions right now." 

"Huh? Oh!" Confusion flashed across my face, followed by understanding and a burst of lust. “Well,” I said shakily, “Maybe just the shirt then... you know. To even the score a little bit more.” I placed my head in the crook of his arm and trailed my hands lazily across the fabric at his chest- I heard him draw in a startled breath as my fingers traced patterns on his chest through the threadbare fabric. “What, is the great mayor shy?” 

He closed his eyes and gave a strained laugh. “Just trying to save you from seeing the full force of my ugly. Nobody wants to see this,” he said, gesturing to his body. 

My face softened and I settled the hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. “But I do,” I said. Why wouldn’t I?“

“Rule number one,” he smiled sadly. 

“Rule number one indeed- I’m not lying. Personally, I think you’re handsome,” I said, kissing him on the cheek. 

He looked so sad at that moment my heart almost broke. “S’ok, Sunshine. You ain’t gotta pretend. Not with me,” he whispered.

“Why would you think I’d be lying about that?” 

“I used to be handsome once.” He scoffed. “So c’mon, let’s not be kind. I know what I look like- no sense beatin’ around the bush about it,” he said, staring up at the ceiling. 

“John Hancock, look at me,” I ordered, cupping his face in my hands and forcing him to look at me. “You do not get to tell me how I do and do not feel, even if it is about you. Do you understand me?” I stared him right in the eyes. “Your scars do not fucking define you. They get to form you- they may even get to shape you, but they are never who you are. Do you hear me?” 

Hancock’s eyes widened. “Sometimes I wonder who the hell you are,” he said softly. After a moment, he spoke again. “Sunshine, I got a confession,” he said. “I wasn’t a ghoul before.”

I stroked the side of his face with my thumbs and he let out a soft moan. “You said that, but then we kind of tabled the discussion for later. Is it later now?”

“I reckon so.” Taking a deep breath, Hancock looked at me for a moment and sat up. Closing his eyes and walking towards the window, he untucked his shirt from his pants and took it off, holding it in his hands. He sat in front of me, bare-chested and outlined in the soft moonlight that flitted in the room. I stared at him, greedily taking it all in. His skin had the same scarring as his face, but his torso was muscular and hard looking- there wasn't an ounce of flab anywhere on his body. Immediately, I wanted to trace every single line of his body with my fingertips and see how far they went. All I could think of was that he looked every bit of the warrior he was, while I looked like an imposter. _Grace is playing dress-up again, while everyone else is way better suited to the task than me. _

“There, all out in the open for you...but if you want I can put it back on,” he whispered. 

I jerked my eyes to his face with shock. “Why would I want you to do something like that?” I scooted towards the wall and invited him to get in bed with me again. He hesitated, and I smiled. “What, not so much fun being on display and having someone eat you up with their eyes?” 

That got him moving. “Is that so?” he asked, making his way into the bed and my arms. As my fingers touched his chest, I felt the warmth radiating from him. Every time my fingertips touched his skin, I felt a delicious tingle shoot through my body and I started running my hands down his back. All of a sudden, a flash of inspiration struck. “Hey, I have an idea,” I said. 

“Uh oh,” he replied, but he was smiling. 

I never got to tell him my idea- he stroked my hair and placed a soft, tentative kiss on my lips, and I could feel my body heat up as I kissed him back, hands exploring his body and pulling him tighter with each one. Soon, we were pressed against each other, leaving no space between us as his hands went beneath my shirt and sliding up my bare back. I felt his nails lightly raking up and down my spine as he grew hard against me. 

That got my attention- I let out a loud moan and felt that heat become a flame, dancing around my core and sending sparks throughout my entire being. Suddenly, close wasn’t close enough- I wanted all of this man, right then and right now. I circled my leg around his hip, trying to press him fully against me. He dipped his head, gently nibbling at the sides of my neck, causing me to cry out softly and press my nails into his back. Soon he had gone even lower and began slowly tracing the outline of my collarbone with his tongue as he cupped my ass in his hands, pressing me so deeply against him I could feel the outline of his cock through my underwear. I threw my head back with pleasure and he smiled against my skin, placing small kisses all along my breastbone. When he reached the collar of my t-shirt, he paused and traced his fingers along the front of my shirt in the valley between my breasts, his breathing heavy. 

“We gotta stop, Sunshine,” he said raspily. “We can’t do this right now.”

_What the hell!_ “Um, why the fuck not, exactly?” I said indignantly.

“Because we’re running,” he said sadly. 

“Sometimes running is great,” I said. “People used to do it for fun back in the day, you know.” 

“Believe me, it would be so much easier to continue this-“ he paused, readjusting himself. “But we wouldn’t ever get anywhere.“ He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. “I’ve done it too many times before. Fucking is easier than talking. Too easy, sometimes.” He brushed a hair out of my face and traced my lips with his finger. “I don’t wanna run from you, Sunshine. And I don’t want you runnin’ from me. Not anymore.” As if he couldn’t help it, he gave me a chaste kiss on the lips. “I told you when I kissed you, you’d remember it. And I’m telling you that when I have you-“ he paused, giving me a definitely not-so-chaste kiss, nibbling my bottom lip and caressing it with soft flicks of his tongue. “-It’s gonna be right. No secrets or lies, just you and me.” 

I bit my lip, and he stroked my cheek. “I don’t know if I can ever promise no secrets, John. There are some I have that aren’t just mine to tell.“

“Can you promise to tell me if I need to know?” 

I thought about it for a moment. “What if you never need to know?” 

“Then I guess you don’t tell me,” he said simply. “I want you, Sunshine.” My breath ran away from my body for a moment and I forgot how to breathe, but he didn’t seem to notice.

Going back to my default of sarcasm, I tried to deflect. “Well from where I’m standing, I’m pretty sure you just almost had me,” I joked. 

“You do that even more than I do,” Hancock remarked.

I gave him a quizzical look and he continued. “You make a joke out of stuff, hoping people forget. Guess what- I ain’t forgettin’ and I ain’t jokin’. You asked me why I kissed you?” He took a deep breath and stared at me.“You almost broke me in that subway, seeing you move through life like a ghost. I thought if I left you like that, you’d never come back to me- kissing you right then was the only way I could think of to show you how I felt.“

“And how do you feel? I asked softly. 

“Well, Sunshine, I want all of you. Not just this,” he said, nibbling my neck gently and making me warm again. I want to be the one you look at like they’re the only one in the room and I want to be the one you fall asleep next to at night. I want to be the one who knows all the little things that make you happy, the guy you know would move heaven and earth to make sure nothing out here ever made you cry again- I want to be the one who makes you feel safe. I want you to think of me when you think of home because that’s how I feel and being away from you feels like I’m missing a piece of me.” 

He twirled a runaway curl around his finger as he continued. “I want to be the one on your arm when we stroll into a town and watch as they all get jealous of the beautiful girl on my arm. I want to pick you up when you fall for the umpteenth time because you don’t understand how your feet work. I want to eat your terrible cooking and think it’s the best thing ever because you did it for me. I want to be the guy who gets to touch you without reservation but still savors every moment of it. I want to be the guy who feels like the luckiest bastard in the Commonwealth every time I see you. I want to help you get the answers you need because I want to see your heart settle. I want to dance with you even though I got two left feet because whenever I hear music I think of you.”

“No one’s ever felt like that about me,” I said sadly. “Why do you?”

He paused, taking a breath. “Because I want you, Sunshine. I want the good parts, the bad parts, and the parts in between. But you only want to show me the surface, and I get it. I’m a selfish bastard, but I ain’t stupid. You ain’t ready to give me all that- hell... I don’t know if you even want all that. But you gotta know it doesn’t make me want you any less- in fact, it just makes me want you even more because I know if I get you, get all that, it was because you really wanted me too. And to me, that’s more important than a one-off good time.” 

I thought for a moment, trying to make the words come out right. “I used to wish Nate would be like that, but he was so... stifling. Nate wasn’t a bad man, he just wasn’t the right one. He was there for me and I took it, which wasn’t fair to either of us. He wanted the picture of the perfect life. He wanted to have the pretty little blond wife, the perfect baby boy, the perfect house... everything he wanted I wasn’t, but I was too scared of failing to admit that to myself. I couldn’t admit I made a mistake, so I stayed with a man I didn’t love and constantly fought against the cage I felt like I was in. And now, I’m not sure I deserve all the stuff I want.” I buried my face in his chest. “I don’t think I deserve you,” I said softly. 

“You deserve everything and more, Sunshine.” He tilted my face to his. “But I didn’t ask you what you deserved.” He searched my face, defiance and something else shining in his eyes. “I wish I could say I was sorry for layin’ all that on you, but I ain’t. And you might be thinking in your head that I’m full of shit because I don’t know you, but that’s just it- I know you better you think I do, because I see so much of me in you that it hurts, and I never want you to feel like that, cause pain like that makes people do some stupid shit. I ain’t stupid enough to presume that I really know you yet. I want to know you, but I need you to let me in, Sunshine.” I buried my face in his chest and he placed his chin on my head, and I inhaled the scent of him as I pressed my cheek to his chest. “But it ain’t all about me- what do you want?” 

I thought about it for a moment, “I want you so damn much it terrifies me.” 

“So, you do want me, huh?” I looked up and he was smiling at me. 

“Don’t be an idiot.” I snuggled back against him and he caressed my back. 

“So what are you scared about?” 

“That I’m gonna fuck it up somehow. That you’re gonna realize that I’m a broken mess and leave, and if that’s the case I just shouldn’t start at all.” 

I could feel him tense against me- his voice took on an edge like he was expecting bad news. “Why do you think you’re broken?“

“Piper asked me a question and I broke. I didn’t want you to see me like that- I was so embarrassed,” I said, words falling onto his chest- he visibly relaxed, letting out a breath I didn’t notice he was holding.

Hancock shifted his head down to look at me and he stroked my hair. “Why would you ever be embarrassed about that?” 

“I don’t want you to have to shoulder my pain. I vowed long ago that no one was going to see me cry if I could help it. It doesn’t do any good for others to see you being weak, so I always tried to push past that.” I hugged him tighter. “Guess it backfired this time.” 

“Guess so.” He hugged me close to him and it was my turn to sigh contentedly. “Sunshine, you can always lean on me- you ain’t gotta go through this alone. You start feelin' all jumbled up, take a second and remember that I’m here for you as long as you want me, however you want me.” He took my hand and threaded his fingers in mine, like a silent schoolyard promise. Partners, remember?”

“Partners,” I replied, giving him a long, deep kiss that he happily returned. 


	13. With a little help from your friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick has a hunch and Grace looks for answers about Shaun

_ _

* * *

Though I was still tired, my body felt like it had gotten some rest for once. 

_Not being tortured by nightmares tends to help with that. So does having a good looking guy in your bed. _

True enough- Hancock was sleeping next to me, still shirtless and snoring softly. He looked completely at ease- I never saw him like that unless we were talking (and I wasn’t being a jackass) or he was on a hit of Jet. I smiled to myself as I watched him rest- we often fell asleep next to each other, but he was always gone before I woke up. I didn’t know where we really were with each other- to be fair, I never did- but it felt like something had changed... I just couldn’t be sure what. 

I guess he noticed me shifting around because he woke up. “Mornin’, Sunshine,” he said, pulling me next to him and kissing my forehead, my chest pressed to his. “God, I can’t get enough of kissing you,” he mused, fingers circling the marks on my neck that were already disappearing. “Guess I gotta try harder... Looks like you don’t bruise easily,” he said. 

“Not in the slightest,” I remarked dryly. “You trying to mark me, Mr. Hancock?” 

“Of course I am,” he said with a wink. He absentmindedly trailed his hand along my side and then he stopped. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then lifted my shirt a little, purposefully running his hand up and down my side. Suddenly he paused, resting his hand on my hip for a second. “How’s your side?” 

I looked down, confused. “Um... my side?” 

He pressed on my side a little harder. “You know, where you got stabbed? You know, the one where you almost died? That side?”

Realization dawned on me. “Oh that,” I said. “No worries there- Amari fixed me up proper. Thanks for that, by the way.”

He shook his head. “That’s just it… there’s nothing there.”

I shrugged. “Um, yay? Go stimpaks? I don’t see the problem here.” 

He shook his head. “I think it’s time for some rule one sharing here. Your innards were damn near on the outside. Stimpaks are good, but not that good. You should have a nasty little scar over there, considering how long it took you to get patched up.” He looked at me, concerned. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen a single scar on you, other than your tattoo, which ain’t normal.” He lowered his voice. “Did they did something to you in that vault?” 

_I know exactly why I don’t have a scar, but it ain’t got nothing to do with the vault and everything to do with me being an asshole teenager_, I thought. But I wasn’t going to tell him that- no, I couldn’t tell him that yet. 

It wasn’t my secret to tell. 

“I just don’t scar- I’m lucky that way. It happened after I got my tattoo,” I said carefully. “I ended up with a really bad infection. Bad news, I almost died, but the good news is now I don’t scar too much when something heals.” I sighed. “There are perks to having parents willing to do some shady shit for the sake of their kid, I guess.” _There. Close enough to the truth without lying- that’s gonna have to do for now_. 

Hancock looked like he would kill for a Mentat right now to help him work this thing through. “Is this one of those things that you said you might not be able to tell me?”

“It’s exactly one of those things, yes.”

He frowned. “So, did you lie just then?” 

“Nope,” I said- and I hadn’t. “I told you as much as I could.” 

He sighed. “Is there a lot of stuff like that? The stuff where I ask you about stuff and you give me answers like that?“ 

“If it makes you feel any better, you’re the first person here who’s ever asked me a question like that,” I said, sidestepping the question. “And that includes Nate, who married me.” 

“You really know how to flatter and infuriate a guy,” Hancock said, kissing me. 

“It’s a talent,” I said simply. “Since we’re playing twenty questions, how about you tell me what’s the deal with you and your brother?” 

It was amazing- in the space of less than a minute, he went from relaxed and calm to tense and murderous. During the span of my previous existence, we may have called that unbalanced, but in the context of life out here, I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t a survival technique. I tried to smooth it over, but he was like stone. “John,” I said softly. “You ok?”

He didn’t look at me. “No,” he said flatly. 

“Can you talk about it?” I asked softly. 

He didn’t respond for a moment, just rolled on his back and turned away from me. 

_Is this how I was with him? _

I softly rubbed his back, not speaking, just hoping he would find his way and come back around. I certainly knew about being forced into telling someone your worst moments- it was a form of torture, but it was also a form of catharsis. Hopefully, he’d talk to me and let himself have a little of the absolution he needed. 

After a few minutes, Hancock began to speak. “My brother wasn’t always an asshole, and I wasn’t always a ghoul, you know,” he said in a low voice. “We were close-ish once- don’t seem like we had the relationship you and your sister had, but we were definitely family once. Grew up together in a little shack on the waterfront. Guy was the standard big brother- entitled, punchy, liked to shove rotten tatoes down my shirt and slap my back.”

Since he didn’t elaborate, I decided to ignore his statement about him not always being a ghoul for now. “You’re right, sounds pretty typical for big brothers.” 

“Thought you only had a sister?” he asked. 

“I have a stepdad and an uncle, and my uncle would like to agree with your assessment of older brothers. But, he’s also likely to murder anyone who talks shit about his brother, so if you ever meet them, it’s probably a safe bet not to piss either one of them off. But yeah, sounds pretty typical to me.” 

He laughed, then grew quiet. “I thought he and I had a pretty happy childhood.”

“What happened?” I asked as I gently massaged his shoulders. 

“I... don’t rightly know. He got this fool notion to run for mayor, and then just... changed. Overnight, he began talking about ghouls were the enemy, riling up the town and trying to get elected with his anti-Ghoul crusade - "Mankind for McDonough.” 

“What the fuck,” I said softly. “Why would he do such a thing?“

“McDonough ran on it because he thought enough of those Upper Stands assholes would vote for him. Guess he was right,” Hancock said sadly. “There'd always been a pretty big gulf between the folks living in the stands and folks down on the field, but I never thought they’d be capable of something like what they did to those Ghouls.” 

My heart began to sink in my chest and I had a sinking suspicion history was about to repeat. “Oh no,” I said softly. 

Hancock didn’t even hear me- he just continued. “Before ya know it, you got families with kids lining up to drag folks they called "neighbor" out of their homes and throw 'em to the ruins.“ 

His body started shaking and I immediately wanted him to stop talking. I couldn’t take hearing the story, couldn’t save him from reliving what was undoubtedly one of the worst moments of his life. This had to be how he felt when I was telling my tale to Piper, and if I could go back in time and make it so he never had to hear it, I would- seeing him in pain like this was torture for me. 

To my chagrin, he continued and I listened, akin to an onlooker at a car crash. “And how long do you think those folks lasted in the ruins?“ he asked. “The city condemned those Ghouls to die. Cowards just got someone else to pull the trigger.”

“John.. I’m so sorry,” I said, voice cracking.

It didn’t matter what I said at that point- he was oblivious to me, lost in the memory. “I remember storming into his office above the stands after the inauguration speech. He was just standing there, staring out the window, watching as the city turned on the Ghouls. He didn't even look at me- just said ‘I did it, John. It's finally mine.’”

“This son of a bitch needs to be punched in the throat,” I growled. 

That time, Hancock noticed me- he grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers between mine for comfort, though it was debatable if it was for his or mine. ”Getting punched by you would be too good for him, Sunshine." He gave me a lopsided smile. "I should've killed him right there, but I don't think it would have changed anything. Instead, I pleaded with him, begged him to call it off. He said he couldn't. He had nothing against the Ghouls. He was just carrying out the will of the people and he couldn't betray the voters.” His breath hitched and I squeezed his hand, kissing his shoulder. 

“And do you know what that motherfucker did? He smiled. Gave me that hideous, fucking mile-long smile. He never smiled like that when we were kids. I didn't even recognize him. I just knew I needed to get the hell away from him. Him and that whole damned city.”

“And that’s when you went to Goodneighbor,” I said quietly. 

He nodded. “I'd been sneakin' off to Goodneighbor for years to get decent chems, so I knew the safe routes. I’d managed to track down a couple of the families, lead 'em there, but most couldn't get used to the Goodneighbor lifestyle. I tried, Grace, I really did... I brought them food for a couple of weeks, but after a while, they just disappeared. Folks in Diamond City signed their death warrants and all the good people were willing to just sit by and watch.” 

“John, knowing you, I can’t imagine you doing anything less than trying your damndest to help anyone you could,” I said, rolling him over and trying to pull him towards me. He resisted at first but eventually rolled over to face me. 

When I looked into his face, there were tears in his eyes. “I felt like I was the only one who saw how screwed up things truly were, who couldn't just pretend things were fine.” He swallowed and tried to regain some composure. “I still feel that way... at least I did until I met you. You’re out here dealing with some of the most fucked up shit imaginable, and yet you stop to help. You ain’t never like, ‘Nope, not my problem’- you man up and do something about it.” He was holding my hand like it was a port in a storm and I knew that no matter what, I would be damned if I let him feel this helpless ever again. 

He held my hand up to his mouth and gave me a soft kiss on my knuckles. "Look, I know I run my mouth and act like I don't give a shit, but having someone who sees the world for what it is and is willing to do something about it means a lot to me, and I feel damn lucky to have you as my friend, Sunshine."

I shook my head fiercely. “Fuck that. You are not my friend. That's too light for what we got going on right now. You are amazing, John Hancock, and as far as I'm concerned, you are family. And no one fucks with my family, do you hear me?"

"Like I said, you know you can be a little scary sometimes, right?" he said, trying to lighten the mood. 

I shrugged. “Hey, I am from Jersey.”

—

When I emerged downstairs, Nick, Hancock, MacCready, and Dogmeat were all waiting for me. “Wow, large group,” I said, taking in the crowd. “We all heading to Diamond City?”

Hancock nodded. “I didn’t know what we were going to find out when we go through Nick’s files- figured it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared. Besides,” he said, scratching Dogmeat behind the ears, “this guy missed you.”

“And I missed him too. Who’s a good boy, huh?” I patted the dog’s head, and Dogmeat thumped his tail on the floor happily. “I’m certainly not going to turn down the extra company. I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Hey, come here for a minute, Sunshine,” Hancock said, pulling me to his side. 

“Um, sure? I just got down here- I can’t have fucked up too much already, right?”

“Nah,” he said. Then he leaned into my ear and spoke quietly. “I hope you don’t mind, but I filled in Nick and the kid on what happened to you. Didn’t want you to have to go through all that again if you didn't have to.”

In response, I kissed him right then and there, which caused Nick to clear his throat and the kid to chuckle. ”Thank you,” I said. “That was perfectly fine.”

Hancock whirled to MacCready. “Not a word, kid.” MacCready mimed locking his lips and throwing away the key, and Nick rolled his eyes. “You all ready to head out?”

Nick nodded. “Let’s get back- like I said, I got some files I want to go through.” He looked at me, sadness in his face. I appreciated the concern, but I was getting tired of everyone pitying the poor vault dweller with the shitty luck. “Hey, sweetheart, I’m gonna do what I can to help you out, ok? Least I can do for the prettiest white knight in the Commonwealth, right?”

“If you’re serious about atoning, you should probably tell me how pretty I am again, just to be sure,” I joked. 

Just as I suspected, Hancock did not take that well at all- disregarding all the people in the room, he wrapped an arm around my waist, and kissed me on the cheek. “You know you’re gorgeous, Sunshine. Do you need me to tell ya that every day or something?”

MacCready’s jaw was open so wide that it was about to hit the floor. “Did-“

Hancock tossed a nearby book at the kid, barely missing him. “I thought I told you to shut it, kid!” 

—

We approached the gate to Diamond City, and this time there was a guard out front wearing a baseball uniform, catcher’s gear, and a pair of mirrored sunglasses manning the gate. “Hey, Valentine,” he said. “What’s with the group of misfits you got tagging along with you?” 

Nick looked confused. “Do I know you?” 

The guard just shrugged. “Does it matter? I know you, and I know he-“ the guard pointed at John- “ain’t welcome in here.”

Hancock looked furious and I was ready to pummel the douchebag. “Wrong answer, fuckface,” I snarled, stepping forward. 

Nick gently placed a hand on my chest, holding me back- despite the lack of force, it was incredibly strong. “You’re right, it doesn’t matter. But she’s a client, and he’s with her, so he comes too. And I think-” he said, glancing at me while I channeled my inner reality TV star and tried to leap over the arm across my chest and throttle the guard, “you may have upset her a little.”

The guard took a step back. “All right, all right! Sheesh, lady, calm down- it’s just a ghoul!”

“_JUST A GHOUL?_” I roared. “Nick, let me go _right fucking now_ so I can show that ignorant sonofabitch_ just a ghoul!_”

Even Hancock took a step back at that one- Nick wisely did not release me. 

“Did she just do a hit of Psycho?” Mac whispered. 

Wide-eyed, Hancock shook his head. “Nope, that’s all her.”

Nick turned to the guard, who had now fully backed against the wall and was probably seriously debating his career choices. “So...” he said to the man, “Do you mind if I just take her to my office? I don’t mind staying out here and chatting, but it’s also getting a little tiring to hold her, so...” he made a flippant gesture with his free hand. 

The guard took one more look at me and quickly buzzed the gate. 

Nick scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder, clamping me tightly as we walked past the guard. Hancock gave the man a jaunty little salute, and Mac just shook his head as they entered the city. 

“If I see you again, _your ass is grass_!” I yelled as Nick carried me off. 

—

By the time we reached Nick's office, I had calmed down enough to be trusted to walk on my own. When we arrived, we found Piper chatting with a lady I assumed was Ellie. When the girl saw Nick, she let out a squeal and threw her arms around the detective. “Nick! You’re safe! Piper told me she sent some folks after you, but I was so worried! I-”

Nick returned her hug and cut her off. “You know it’s gonna take more than that to stop this gumshoe,” he said good-naturedly. “I hear I have the best reporter in Diamond City to thank for my rescue,” he said, hugging Piper.

Piper blushed. “I’m the only reporter in Diamond City, Nick,” she said, but she was smiling. 

“Doesn’t make it any less true though,” he said, returning the smile. “Now that the gang’s all here, we got a case.” He glanced around the room and paused. “Hey, Ellie, you mind doing me a favor and grabbing these folks some noodles? ” He reached in his pocket and gave her a few caps- the assistant nodded and left. 

After she had gone, he looked over at me. “How much does everyone know,” he asked. I appreciated his discretion- synth or not, the man was a professional. 

“Piper and John know everything. Not sure how much you or Mac know,” I said honestly. 

Mac looked serious for once. “I know as much as Nick knows, Princess. So I think we’re all on the same page.” He gave me a solemn look. “I’m so-“

I cut him off, squeezing his shoulder. “Thanks, kid.” To his credit, he got it and just hugged me back. Hancock shot him a look and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mac flip him off- Hancock simply grinned. 

Piper and Nick rolled their eyes. “Anyway,” Nick continued. “Based on what John’s told me, and what Piper’s dug up for me before, I think we got a few subjects. The common suspects are Raiders and Gunners, but talking to Mac, this ain’t the Gunner’s style- they’d know you wouldn’t have any money, so it ain’t a ransom case. Raiders ain’t that organized, so that rules them out. So that leaves-“

“The institute,” Piper said softly. Hancock swore under his breath and Mac looked grim.

Nick nodded. “‘Fraid so. Grace, I know it’s hard, but can you give me any details about the man who took Shaun? Anything at all?”

I paled a little and Hancock stepped closer, wrapping his arms around me- Piper frowned a little but stayed quiet. Hancock leaned in, kissing me on the forehead. “S’ok, Sunshine, I gotcha. Can you tell us anything about the man?”

I thought about it for a second, racking my brain for details I had been trying to repress. “He was white and bald- looked like he was around 50 or so,” I said slowly. “And he looked like he was about as tall as you, Nick.” I paused, letting myself relive the memory. “Oh, there was one more thing- he had a huge scar on his forehead. I remember staring at it before I was frozen again. And-” I shuddered at the memory and Hancock squeezed my hand. “Then he said ‘at least we still have the backup’ as he looked at me.”

Hancock looked at Nick, “What do you think,” he asked. Everyone turned to the detective, who was thumbing through files on his desk. 

“I have a thought, but I got a question, Grace,” he said. “You said Shaun was a baby when he was taken, right?” I nodded. 

He looked at me, concern visible on his face. “Well, I got a possible lead, but some of the details don’t match.”

“You have a lead? What is it?” I was almost across the room in a minute, trying to grab Nick’s files. Hancock gripped my arms gently, pulling me back. 

“What doesn’t match, Nick?” Hancock asked matter-of-factly. 

Nick looked thoughtful. “The man sounds like Conrad Kellogg, through and through. Evil bastard... works for the Institute and ain’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He’s been in Diamond City, has a house here. Had a boy with him too-“

I interrupted the detective. “Oh my god... it’s _him_... and Shaun! Good, let’s find this-“ Hancock squeezed my hand again hard to stop me. When I finally did, he gestured for Nick to continue. 

“But Grace, the boy he had with him couldn’t be Shaun,” Nick said gently. 

“Why the fuck not!” I yelled. Hancock gripped my shoulder tightly. “That motherfucker has my boy!”

Nick shook his head. “Can’t be. The boy he had with him was around ten or so.”

His words hit me like I had been punched in the gut. “Around ten? It can’t be!”

This time, it was MacCready who spoke up. “Princess, is it possible that more time passed than you thought from when he was taken to when you woke up?” 

The room went silent while everyone stared at the kid. 

Hancock’s face was full of concern as he looked at me. “Sunshine, think about it for a minute... is that possible?”

I swallowed and paced around the room. “Well... I guess it is. I mean, I didn’t know two hundred years had passed. Maybe when I refroze the second time, I didn’t wake back up right away.”

MacCready nodded. “That’s my thought, right there. So,” he said pointedly, “that means this bas- jerk may still be out there with your boy.”

Piper began to nod and turned to Nick. “You mentioned he had a house here in Diamond City, right? There might be some clues about where he’s been in there. You think if you took the dog up there, it might be able to catch a scent or something?”

Dogmeat woofed in approval- Nick looked thoughtful. “It’s a long shot, but it could work. That place is locked up tight though- we’d have to get the key from the Mayor, and I’d say most of us are persona non grata right now.”

“Fuck him,” I said, finding my voice. “Let me at that place- I haven’t met a lock I couldn’t pick yet.” I looked around the room.

Piper looked determined. “That settles it,” she said. “Me, Nick, Blue, and Dogmeat will head to Kellogg’s place.” She pointed to the remaining two guys. “Hancock, you and MacCready sit tight and try not to murder anything while we’re gone.” 

MacCready’s eyes widened and he turned around, letting out a low whistle. Hancock looked thunderous- his eyes turned so black I couldn’t see his pupils anymore. “And who the fuck died and made you the leader?” he asked with a mildness that conflicted with his demeanor. “That’s my girl you’re talking about over there, and I’ll be damned if I let you, a nosy-“

I cut him off before he could finish his tirade- Mac looked disappointed. “Hon, she’s right,” I said. Hancock stared at me incredulously, but I continued. “The crew she’s proposing right now makes the most sense. Nick is the only one who knows where the house is, we need the nose on the dog, and she is nosy,” At this, Piper huffed and Hancock looked pleased- I ignored both of them. “Which,” I continued, “is a good thing, as I need her to help me find any possible clue I can.” Piper brightened at that, and Hancock looked crestfallen. “Besides, we’re all at a disadvantage in Diamond City-“

“By we, you mean me,” he said darkly. 

“No, we,” I said. “Something tells me that Mac is hiding for more reasons than waiting on the right job to come along, I’m a walking target, and you for the obvious. Honestly, I don’t want Piper to do it since she still lives here and I don’t want her to get in trouble, but I could really use the help.” I looked at him, pleading. “I’ll be alright with them, I promise.”

Hancock looked torn, but he finally sighed and relented. “Fine,” he said. “Just come back safe, ok?”

_ _

* * *

While the others went to search for clues, Hancock and MacCready were left in the office with a pile of noodles. He couldn’t argue with Grace’s logic, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He stabbed at the food, but it was a poor substitute for his anger- Hancock was pissed, which left MacCready to bear the brunt of his anger. 

“Do you have to chew so fucking loud!” Hancock yelled at the merc. “I can barely hear myself think!” 

“Ain’t a need to think. Just relax and eat- no use worrying about anything till they get back.”

He pointed a finger at him. “Mac, If you slurp those damn noodles one more fucking time...” 

MacCready just chewed even slower, mouth popping and accentuating every sound. Finally, he looked the mayor in the eyes and took a loud, long slurp. 

Hancock’s eyes narrowed and he jumped up from his seat. “_That’s it_! I’m gonna-“

MacCready jumped up from his seat. “Whoa! I’m just playin’ with ya! No need to go feral on me!”

Hancock’s lips turned up into a snarl and the kid sighed. “Look, I know you’re pi-upset that you ain’t there with the Princess, but I didn’t do it, ok? Plus, Nick and that dog of hers is there with her. You know they won’t let anything happen to her.”

The ghoul didn’t say anything, but he sat back in his chair. “If she comes back with so much as a scratch on her, I’m killing them all.”

Mac gave him a sideways glance. “Um... I don’t know if it works that way, but we’re getting better, I think.” He gestured to his pocket. “Maybe you should take something, you know? You seem a little... testy.”

Hancock grabbed a container of Jet from his pocket and inhaled. “Why are you even here, Mac?“ he asked, face clouded in fumes. “I thought you didn’t do anything if there wasn’t any money in it for you? I asked you to come and you didn’t even toss out a price.”

MacCready was grateful the mayor had calmed down enough to at least ask a decent question. “Easy- you said Princess needed help, so I came.”

Hancock raised an eyebrow. “Are you sweet on her, Mac?” 

“Unlike her, I don’t have a death wish.” He laughed. “She just reminds me of someone I used to know as a kid.”

“Back when you were the mayor, huh?” Hancock smirked. “Where was that again?”

“Yep, back in Little Lamplight. I always meet the pretty ones when they’re looking for someone, huh?” He looked wistful and Hancock realized the merc had lived through more than his baby face implied- but then again, that was true for almost everyone in the Commonwealth. “Plus, you know I understand how it feels to have a kid you can’t help.” Hancock nodded. “I charge for everything, but kids are always freebies, man.” He chuckled. “Plus the Princess is entertaining as sh-heck, man.”

“She is something else, I’ll give you that,” Hancock agreed. 

“I should be paying you guys for the laughs on this trip alone,” he said, slurping the last of his noodles and smirking at Hancock. 

_ _

* * *

We had to be a sight, the five of us trailing after the dog as he followed the scent he picked up from the cigars. I tried to tell all of them that they didn’t need to come with me, that Dogmeat and I could handle it - I didn’t want to involve them in my mess. That was immediately left with Hancock roaring ‘over my dead body’, MacCready laughing and saying I couldn’t follow a trail if I was attached to a string, Nick steadfastly ignoring my protests, and Piper politely yet sternly telling me I was a fucking idiot if I thought I was stopping her from getting the story of the century. In short, I was stuck with the lot of them, and I couldn’t be happier. 

For the first time since I woke up, it felt like I had a family again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I absolutely love MacCready and Hancock. The two of them give me so much joy that I wish I could change some things about the story and have them do more shit together. 
> 
> After Grace and Hancock finally get some of that damn baggage out in the open, this was actually one of my favorite chapters. Grace still has a really big suitcase left to unpack, but I wonder if you’ve guessed part of what’s inside of it by now? Let me know in the comments!
> 
> \--  
Want to know what happened when Piper, Grace, and NIck went to Kellogg's house? Check out Chapter 6: Sleuthin' ain't easy in _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_!


	14. The frozen TV dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The misfits of the Commonwealth find answers and more questions

_ _

* * *

_Dogmeat is so getting the biggest bone I can find after this_, I thought.

The dog had been following the trail we found in Kellogg’s old apartment for a few days now - even when it appeared that he didn’t know what he was doing, he did. Part of me wanted to be upset that a dog could trace a cigar clear across the state, but I can’t find my way from one place to another if you don’t draw me a map and walk me through exactly how to get there... two or three times. It was never really clear, but from what we could piece together, it looked like the asshole who took Shaun had gotten injured somewhere along the way. 

_Good_. 

After what felt like forever, we approached a building with some machines on the top. I tried to walk towards it, but MacCready put out a hand to stop me. “Uh uh, Princess- that would be no bueno.”

“What? The dog is pointing in that direction, right?” 

MacCready pointed at the machines. “I don’t think you want to do that- those are automated machine guns on the top of that building, perfectly designed to fu-mess up your day.” He looked at the rest of us. “Any idea where we are? That’s some pretty heavy artillery.” 

Clearly, the kid wasn’t asking me, so I ignored the question. Piper and Hancock shook their heads, but Nick rubbed his chin. “Dollars to donuts that Kellogg’s in there. That’s Fort Hagen,” mused Nick. “Looks like he’s made a few modifications to keep the riffraff out, though.”

“We need a plan,” Hancock said. “We can’t risk rushing off half-cocked and blowing ourselves up.” 

“But we gotta get in there,” I wailed, almost crying. “I’m so goddamn close! I will not let that motherfucker get away from me- I won't!”

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Piper cleared her throat. “No one’s saying let him go, Blue,” she said soothingly. “As much as I hate to admit it, Hancock is right- we need a plan.”

MacCready chortled. “Holy sh-smokes- the world just ended again...Pipes just agreed with the mayor!” Piper glared at him and Hancock rolled his eyes. “Sorry... just never thought I’d see the day, is all. Considering the way you two’ve been bi-griping at each other the entire time.” 

“Enough!” I snapped. “We need a plan. Now,” I said pointedly. Hancock looked at me and popped a Mentat- Piper rolled her eyes but stayed silent this time.

After a few minutes, Hancock looked at the kid. “Hey, Mac, you think you could take one of those out and give us some cover fire to get into the building?” 

Mac thought about it for a moment. “If I can get up high enough, sure. But the moment I do that, the others are gonna turn on me, and if I hide, the others are gonna seek you out. Someone’s gotta stay up there and keep the heat off the folks on the ground, but doing that alone is suicide.” He looked at me sadly. “Sorry, Princess.” 

“S’ok,” I said glumly. 

“Well, why don’t we do the best of both,” said Nick. “Piper, why don’t you find some cover up here to shoot from to draw the attention to you, while Mac picks ‘em off? That would give the rest of us time to get in the building and away from the fire.” 

Hancock began to nod. “That could work, Nick.” He peered at the building for a moment. “It looks like that garage is connected to the building. If I was a betting man-“

“You’re a degenerate gambler, murderer, and drug addict, so of _course_ you’re a betting man,” said Piper dryly. 

Hancock glared at her. “Does she have to find cover? Can’t we just use the reporter as bait?”

It was my turn to rub my temples and debate the merits of using both of them as bait. “No,” I said after a minute of deliberation. “Now John, what were you saying before Piper started talking?” 

“As I was _saying_-“ he said testily, glaring at the reporter- “I think he’s also got a way in through the garage. No sense in getting your ass blown off from your own traps, so there’s gotta be another way in somewhere. So if it were me, I’d use the garage.” 

Nick nodded and turned to me. “Sounds like we have a plan, Gracie.” 

I looked at the crew. “Are you guys ready? I really don’t want to have to ask you guys to do this. Seriously, you can hide and just give me cover fire...I’ll go in and handle-“ 

“Would you just stop with the martyr crap, Sunshine? You know good and damn well I ain’t leaving you to do this alone,” Hancock growled. “And I think I speak for everyone else when I say the rest of them call bullshit on that idea as well. “Like you said before,” he said, grabbing my hand, “like it or not, we’re family.” Dogmeat wagged his tail and woofed in approval. 

MacCready gave me a trademark grin. “Personally, I think of you as my annoying, directionally-impaired sister.”

The detective nodded. “You know I’m in- ain’t every day you find a person with a silver tongue willing to place her life on the line for a synth... or go to the pokey for a ghoul,” he said with a hint of amusement. 

“Hey, don’t leave me out,” said Piper. “There’s no way I’m missing out on the story of how the vault dweller from the past took out one of the Institute’s biggest bad guys. It’d be criminal not to help!” 

MacCready cleared his throat. “Well, Princess, let’s stop fu-messing about and get this party started, shall we? It looks like the misfits of the Commonwealth,” he said, sweeping his arms around us in a grand gesture, “are at your service.” 

I laughed. "And I'm happy to have you all."

Eventually, I left the dog with Piper & Mac as they provided cover fire for Hancock, Nick and I to get to the garage, which thankfully did have a way to get into the building. Once we got inside, I looked at the two of them. “What now,” I whispered. 

Hancock glanced upward and spoke softly. “I think we should probably head down. If I was this bastard, I would want as much distance between me and an intruder as possible.”

“You’re pretty fucking accurate about these things, John. You got something you want to tell me?” He rattled a tin of Mentats at me, and I laughed softly.

Nick, however, was not as amused- the detective glared at us. “You two want to cut it out for a minute while we figure out what’s gonna try to murder us,” he hissed. “We should probably try to be as quiet as pos-“ 

Of course, it was at that moment that I turned and knocked a coffee cup off the desk I was crouching behind. As it shattered on the floor, I felt two sets of very pissed off eyes staring holes through my skull- Nick slapped himself in the face and Hancock groaned. “For fuck's sake, Sunshine! Are you doing this shit on _purpose_?”

I gave a very sheepish and apologetic smile. “Well, maybe no one noticed?” I asked the men staring very angrily at me as we heard the sounds of laser beams colliding with nearby walls.

All I could do was sigh as I readied my pistol.

—

After fighting through a small army of synths (which were nothing like Nick, thank you very much), we arrived at the only working elevator in the building, which only seemed to go down. 

Nick looked at Hancock and me. “Well kids, it looks like we head down. Any objections?”

“Nope. Let’s go get this sonofabitch,” I said. 

We started to ride the elevator down, and a voice that sent chills down my spine cut in over the speaker. “If it isn't my old friend, the frozen TV dinner.” The voice let out a sinister laugh, and I looked around at my companions in a panic. “Last time we met, you were cozying up to the peas and apple cobbler," it said.

Hancock grabbed my hand and tried to keep me from clawing at the walls. “It’s _him_,” I hissed. “Its Kellogg...” 

Nick rubbed his hand up and down my back. “Shhhh... keep it together. This is why we’re here- we gotcha, Gracie.” 

“_Fuck you_!” I screamed at the voice. “Gimme my son before I blow this bitch to the ground!”

The voice clicked back in, burning inside my brain. “Sorry your house has been a wreck for two hundred years. But I don't need a roommate. Leave.”

“This asshole is pissing me off,” Hancock growled. 

“Good,” I said, reaching for my gun. “Cause I’m about to fuck him up.”

Nick pulled me to face him. “Gracie,” he said, but I was still too mad to respond.

“Gracie, look at me.” I struggled to focus on the detective’s face, but I finally managed and Nick held me by my shoulders. “Look here, he’s trying to piss you off so you go off half-cocked and get yourself skewered by one of those synths he’s got all over the place.” Nick stared into my eyes and lowered his voice. “Gracie, don’t you do his job for him, understand?” 

“He’s got my kid, Nick!” I cried. 

“I know, sweetheart, I know.” He hugged me and I closed my eyes. “But you didn’t come this far to screw up now. Stay focused, ok?” 

I nodded and tried to pull myself together as we waited for the elevator to open.

When we arrived in the basement, Hancock gestured for us to be silent and went out first- after a minute, he gave the all-clear and we followed him. The basement was cold and dark- I couldn't see more than a few feet at a time, so I was super thankful for Nick and Hancock keeping an eye out for all the potential baddies. As we crept down the dark hallway, a group of synths suddenly opened fire on us, but Hancock was ready- he had handled it before Nick and I could even fire a shot. 

As we trudged on, the voice clicked back in on the loudspeaker, echoing off the basement walls. “Hmph. Never expected you to come knocking on my door. Gave you 50/50 odds of making it to Diamond City. After that? Figured the Commonwealth would chew you up like jerky... like your friend over there,” he said with an evil chuckle. 

Hancock clenched his fists. “Say that shit to my face, _motherfucker_!” He turned to me, hatred radiating throughout his features. “Oh, _man_ am I going to enjoy putting a bullet in his fucking brain.”

“Fight you for it,” I said through gritted teeth. 

Nick raised a hand. “Stay focused, you two. You know he’s doing it on purpose. Ignore him.”

As we rounded another corner, Kellogg clicked in again, but this time he sounded a little frustrated. “Look. You're pissed off. I get it. I do. But whatever you hope to accomplish in here? It is not going to go your way. You've got guts and determination, and that's admirable. But you are in over your head in ways you can't possibly comprehend.”

“Good, we’re getting closer. He didn’t expect you to get this far. He’s trying to scare you off,” Nick said. 

_It‘s about time I threw a monkey wrench in that bastard’s plans. _

The trip was silent as we continued, which was odd- there were no synths, no more voices. It was almost tomb-silent, and I shivered. Hancock noticed my reaction and grabbed my hand. “You ok, Sunshine?”

“As good as I can be, considering the circumstances.”

Hancock looked at me. “You know how you always say you can pocket with the best of ‘em?” When I nodded, he continued. “Good,” he said, rubbing my arm. “Right now, I need you to pocket these feelings like you never have before, ok? We can let it all out later, but I need you ready in there, ok?”

“Ok,” I said softly, and the three of us continued down the dark hallway until we got to a locked door. Nick tried to pick it but had no luck. “Wanna try your luck, Gracie?”

“Oh, I absolutely want to try,” I said. “If I can’t get it you better take cover, cause one of these grenades I found is about to go straight through that damn door.”

Hancock chuckled nervously. “It’s a good thing they haven’t made a lock you can’t break yet, right?” 

"Damn straight." I focused for a minute, trying to hear the tumblers click in the lock and feel the resistance in my fingertips. Holding my breath, I tried again, and this time the lock popped. As soon as the lock clicked, Kellogg came back on the speaker, breaking the silence. “God, you're persistent,” he said. “I give you credit. It's the way a mother should act. The way I'd be acting if I were in your place, I like to think. Even if it is useless.”

“I don’t need your parenting tips, I need my _goddamn son_!” I yelled. 

The voice came back in response. “It's not too late. Stop. Turn around and leave.”

“Like hell,” said Nick.

The voice clicked back in. “You have that option. Not a lot of people can say that.” 

“Unlike a lot of other people, I’m here to fuck your goddamn day up this time!” I yelled. “_Cut the shit and gimme my kid!_”

This time the voice stayed silent. I saw Nick glance over at me, most likely checking to see if I had lost my shit yet- I nodded at him, and he ushered me forward. 

Finally, as we approached a door at the end of the hallway, he clicked back on again. “Okay,” It said. “You made it. I'm just up ahead. My synths are standing down. Let's talk.”

We all looked at each other. “Trap,” I whispered.

Hancock looked grim- Nick nodded. “Sure is, Gracie. What are you gonna do about it?”

I bit my lip. “There’s nothing I can do about it, Nick. He’s got all the answers, and he’s in there. I don’t see another way.”

Hancock squeezed my hand tightly. “No matter what, I’m with you,” he said. “Let’s go get your kid, Sunshine.”

—

The doors slid open, and he was standing in front of us, flanked by an army of synths pointing laser rifles at us. I scanned the room, but I didn’t see Shaun anywhere. 

Kellogg stared at me and gave a slow, condescending clap. “And there she is. The most resilient woman in the Commonwealth. I gotta give you credit- most people don’t have the brains or the guts to come this far. Can’t tell if you’re exceptionally smart or exceptionally fucking dumb.” He opened his arms in a mocking gesture. “Guess it doesn’t matter though, does it?”

“Enough of this bullshit,” I spat, training my gun on him. “Where’s my son? _Where’s Shaun?_”

“Shaun? Shaun's a good kid.” He gave that laugh again. “So maybe he's not quite a "baby" anymore. But he's doing great.” Kellogg put on a fake look of concern and smiled at me. “Only... he's not here. He's with the people pulling the strings, all safe, comfortable, and loved. A place he calls home. The Institute.”

My body shook with rage- I had fought so long and so damn hard to get here and it was just another fucking twist. “You’re lying- he’s gotta be here... _you’re just a fucking monster!_” 

Kellogg just shrugged. “It’s funny, huh- You open the closet, it's just a closet. You can never find the monster that hides inside. Not until it jumps out at you. Life’s funny like that, ain’t it.”

“Screw you, you sonofabitch. I’m going to find my boy,” I said between clenched teeth. 

Kellogg crowed and clapped. “That's the spirit!” He turned away, looking at the bank of computers in the room. “You know, you surprise me, I have to admit. I find myself actually kind of... liking you.” 

When he spoke next, his voice quality had changed a little- it almost sounded like respect. “In another life, you might've actually been a good mother.” He paused, gazing around the room. “And I admire your dedication.” 

When Kellogg turned around to us again, his voice was once again dripping with menace. “But here... in this terrible reality? You just don't get that chance.”

“But I think we've been talking long enough,” he said, making a show of checking a nonexistent watch. “We both know how this has to end.” He sighed, rubbing his hands together and cracking his knuckles. “So... you ready?”

“To kill you? Definitely.” I muttered. 

And then the whole room went to hell. 

_ _

* * *

_Holy shit, that went sideways fast,_ thought Hancock. 

One minute, they were talking while Kellogg postured and monologued, then the next the room was awash in lights and bullets as guns began firing in every direction. Grace was in no position to help- she was howling and trying to blow up Kellogg, so he quickly turned to take out the backup synths- if he and Nick could get rid of those, he reasoned, there would be less firepower coming at them and they could all train their guns on the mercenary. He looked at Nick, who seemed to have the same idea and the detective nodded, working to eliminate the threats in the room. 

“_Where the fuck are you!_” Grace roared. “Come back here so I can put a bullet between your fucking eyes, you bastard!”

Out of the corner of Hancock’s eye, he saw the air in the room appear to shift. His heart dropped in his throat. “Stealth boy!” He screamed, hoping Nick would get the hint and go to Grace if he couldn’t get there in time. The girl was too hot- she wasn’t paying attention and she didn’t notice Kellogg creeping up on her.

_Please let me make it,_ Hancock prayed. _Let me get to her first._

Hancock ran towards Grace as fast as he could. Just before Kellogg could line up his shot, Hancock knocked her out of the way and the two of them fell to the ground in a heap. Panting, he rolled off her and scanned her face to make sure she was alright- she was winded, but otherwise fine. "He's got a stealth boy, Sunshine. Watch for the shimmer," he told her. Grace nodded and steadied herself, her eyes searching the room for Kellogg. 

Just as she noticed the shimmer and prepared to fire her gun, the bastard gave an evil chuckle. “Two for two, darling,” he said, and a shot rang out.

The last thing Hancock saw in this world before his vision went dark was Grace, eyes open wide and her face twisted into a rictus of rage and horror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curious about what happened with Piper and MacCready after they entered the fort? 
> 
> Check out Chapter 8: Cover Fire in _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_!


	15. Down the rabbit hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hancock has a very strange conversation with someone.

_ _

* * *

When Hancock opened his eyes, he had no idea where he was.

Groaning, he tried to sit up and realized that it probably wasn’t one of his best ideas. His vision was hazy and his head was throbbing, but he certainly wasn’t in Kellogg’s fortress- he was sure about that. Beyond that, however, he had no idea what was going on. He did remember the sound of the gun and the look on Grace’s face-

_Oh no- Grace!_

Slowly and painfully, Hancock turned his head- through the haze he could see green eyes staring at him. He struggled to get to his feet but couldn’t- he settled for propping himself up on his elbows instead. 

“Sunshine? What happened?” He croaked. “You alright?”

The voice that responded was female, but it was different from Grace’s and instantly set Hancock on edge. “Sunshine?” it asked quizzically. “Oh! You mean Grace,” the voice said. “Pretty sweet nickname, though... it fits.” 

“You ain’t her,” he said, panic creeping into his voice. “What happened? Where the fuck am I?” He began scanning the room in a panic, but Grace was nowhere to be found. “Where’s Grace? _GRACE_!” 

The voice shushed him. “Calm down- she isn’t here.” The girl kneeled by his side and he could see that it was not Grace- she was around the same height but younger, and instead of brown and blond curls, her hair was straight black and fell past her shoulders. 

Her face was different too- it was the same tanned color, but instead of soft round cheeks, hers were sharp and angular, and her nose was slightly turned up at the ends whereas Grace’s was just a little bit crooked. Her voice was similar, yet lighter- it didn’t have the angry and sarcastic quality Grace’s had. However, what was throwing him for a loop were those eyes... no matter how much he tried to deny it, they were the same.

“Who are you,” he finally asked. “Where am I?” 

The woman, who was not Grace, smiled. “Not really all that important _where_ you are, is it? I’d wager it’s more important that you aren’t dead, wouldn’t you?”

“That depends on where Grace is,” he said evenly, trying to mask his rising panic. “And pardon me for not being in the mood for fucking riddles right now, but you’re trying the last of my nerves, lady.” He glared into the eyes of Not-Grace. “So I’mma ask you one more time... where is she?”

Not-Grace chuckled. “You’re hardly in a position to make threats, you know.” She stared at him, her hand curled into a ball and resting on her chin. “I can see why she likes you, though. You’re a lot like her - all the bravado and none of the sense.”

Hancock sighed- Not only was this woman was getting on his nerves, but he also didn’t have any drugs, and he had no idea how to find Grace. Logically, he knew he had to play along, but he didn’t have the patience. “Look, lady... I need to find Grace. There was a guy-“

Not-Grace’s face darkened. “I know all about that asshole.” 

_At least there was one thing they could agree on. _“So if you know that, you know I gotta find-“

Not-Grace sighed. “Grace is fine... ish.” 

Hancock felt a shiver run down his spine and his mouth went dry. “What do you mean, ‘ish’?”

Not-Grace gave him a soft look, one he had seen on Grace’s face before- it was disorienting, seeing her expressions on someone else’s face. “Well, you did get shot right in front of her,” she reminded him. “Considering it’s the same thing that happened to her husband, that sort of thing tends to puts a bit of strain on a person.” 

Oh... He paused. “You said ‘shot’, but you didn’t say dead.” He looked at Not-Grace. “So I ain’t dead?” 

“Not yet, anyway,” she admitted. “But we should probably do something about that if we want to keep it that way,” she said, pointing to the hole in his chest that was dripping blood onto his coat. She tilted her head to the side and looked thoughtful for a moment. “How do you guys fix wounds like that?”

Hancock was trying his best not to pass out. _Wow_, _that's pretty fucking nasty._.. _I probably __ain't shaking that one off anytime soon__, _he thought. “Um, stimpak. Right next to the wound, helps it close faster.” He glanced at the wound again. “Might want to throw in a fuckton of surgery and a miracle, if we’re being honest." 

Not-Grace smiled. “Welp, I guess I better get you one of those Stimpaks, huh?” She turned around, pulling the first-aid kit out from behind her and opening it, showing the contents to him. “Do you see one in here?”

Hancock slowly pointed to the Stimpak, and once again wondered if he wasn’t dead. If he was, this was just a cruel fucking joke- he’d have liked to see Grace one more time before he died, and Not-Grace was just a tease. She wasn’t even close to what he wanted- no, _needed... _he needed Grace.

A voice nagged at him. _You never deserved her anyway, so why do you care?_

_I just do,_ he thought. Suddenly, he felt the pinch of the needle in his chest- he looked down at the wound and saw it slowly beginning to close. He breathed a sigh of relief. _That must be one helluva Stimpak… maybe I won't die here... Maybe I can go find her._

Now able to see without a film over the world, Hancock glanced around the room. To his dismay, there was nothing- the only thing visible was Not-Grace, who was staring at the closing wound and smiling brightly. “Holy shit, that’s kind of amazing- those are pretty neat to have around... Not bad!” She turned to him again. “So, I guess we should get down to business, huh? Since you’re not dying anymore and all. Oh, hang on a second,” Not-Grace said as she paused, looking at something he couldn’t see. “And now the asshole is dead,” she said and gave him a polite smile. “Sorry that you had to almost die for it to happen, though.”

Hancock had given up on things making sense at this point. “Thanks, I guess.” He realized that Not-Grace had saved his life and he was trying to be polite, but polite wasn’t getting him back to Grace, so he changed tactics. “So,” he said tersely, “Care to give me any answers? Any at all?”

Not-Grace bit her lip. “Man, I’m probably going to be in so much trouble for this.” She stared at him somberly and placed a soft hand on his shoulder. “Look, if she had tried to save you, then you both were going to die, and that wouldn’t do at all. So, I helped instead,” she said. 

The girl wasn’t making a lick of sense, but that was par for the course at this point. Hancock sighed and tried again. “I need to find Grace,” he repeated. _Maybe this time she’ll listen instead of barreling down the crazy track. _

Not-Grace sighed. “You haven’t gone anywhere, you know.” 

_Nope. Full speed to crazy town, population her. _Hancock rubbed his temples and tried to make heads or tails of any of this and realized he couldn’t. "So..." he prodded, “If you know what’s going on, and you know that Grace is probably losing her shit right now, how about you help me find her so I can help? That sound like a plan?”

Not-Grace laughed, which did not make Hancock feel any better. “Perhaps you’re right.” She rubbed her hands together and slapped her thighs, rising to her feet. “We should probably get you back, I guess.”

_Yes- finally! That is exactly what should happen, and fast. _“I’d appreciate that, thanks,” he said evenly and trying very hard to keep Not-Grace on track- this was a conversation thread he could work with and he didn’t want her to go off-topic. 

“You did good, you know,” Not-Grace said. ”I’m so glad you saved her.” She paused. "Well, I’m not happy you almost died, but-"

Hancock stopped her before she could go down that rabbit hole any further. Something was nagging at his brain, but he couldn’t quite untangle it. He knew it was probably important, but he couldn’t make his mind focus since it was almost impossible to have a coherent thought in the presence of Not-Grace. Hancock, however, was not a quitter - he was determined to try to figure it out, with or without his Mentats. “Thank you for saving me... I don’t know how you did it, but I’m thinking it prolly ain’t gonna be worth my while to try and figure it out.”

Not-Grace laughed. “Probably not. And you’re welcome.” She smiled. “She cares about you, you know.”

He shot her a look. "How do you know that?” 

"If she didn’t, I couldn’t have helped you at all,” she said, matter-of-factly. 

At the flippant remark, Hancock felt anger flare up in his chest. _Could this crazy girl have saved Shaun and spared Grace all these tears? _

At the same time, he felt the selfish thoughts creep into his head. _If she had, would you have met her? _He paused for a moment, vacillating between his own needs and hers before finally settling on hers. _Always hers_. “She cares about her kid, too," he said angrily. "Why didn’t you help him?” 

She seemed to regard him with interest- for a moment Hancock wondered if the woman could read his mind. “If I could've saved him, I would've,” Not-Grace said, biting her lip. “But I could help this time, so I did. This is a tiny change that makes the world better. Changing that... ” she shuddered. "I couldn’t do it."

“I give up,” Hancock said, his patience finally spent. “I’ve been here god knows how long and you haven’t made one damn lick of sense the entire time. Are you batshit or what?” 

“Or what,” Not-Grace said. 

Hancock groaned and she pulled him to his feet. “There's a door over there you can use to get back,” Not-Grace informed him. 

Hancock grew even angrier. “Lady, there is no-“ and his voice trailed off as he noticed the door behind Not-Grace. “Okay, there’s a door there now.” His eye twitched. "Which wasn’t there before... I’m losing my mind,” he said simply. “I finally found the right combination of drugs to fry my brain and I’m cooked. Goddamn it,” he said resignedly. 

“It’d be easier for you to think of this as a very weird dream,” Not-Grace admitted. “But if you’re like Grace, I don’t think you’re the type that goes for easy.” 

“You’d be right,” Hancock said. 

Not-Grace shrugged. “Welp, this has been an absolute hoot and a half, but it really is time for you to go,” she said, pointing at the door. “We probably won't meet again.” She looked thoughtful for a moment and her eyes glazed over for a minute like she was seeing something. “Hmmm... maybe we will,” she mused.

Hancock decided to not press his luck- he headed for the door before his brain completely shattered. As he reached for the knob, he realized one of the things that had been bothering him the whole time. “I don’t know your name,” he said, dreading her answer. 

“If I tell you, it might break your brain for real this time,” she teased. 

Hancock shivered- he didn’t get the impression she was lying. She was crazy as a fucking loon, yes, but not a liar. “What is it?” 

Not-Grace put her finger to her lips. “You are so much like her- it’s amazing!” she said, laughing. “I say something’s dangerous and you want to do it anyway- it’s uncanny! You two are just adorable!” she squealed.

“So,” he said, trying to bring the girl back to the conversation at hand, “Who are you?” 

Not-Grace gave herself a shake. “Oh! That’s right, we were talking. Sorry, it’s really hard to focus in here,” she said apologetically. “Downsides and all that.” She stared at him for a minute, then recognition flashed across her face. “Yes! That’s right, you wanted to know my name, yes?”

Hancock just sighed- it wasn’t worth it to argue with her. 

She looked thoughtful for a moment. “If I tell you my name, you have to give a message to Grace.”

“That it?” Hancock could do that- a message didn’t seem too bad. 

“She isn’t gonna like it, not one bit,” Not-Grace warned. “And she definitely won’t want to hear it from you,” she pointed out. 

“Just gimme the damn message.”

Not-Grace shrugged. “Well, if you’re sure about it...” She sighed. “My name is Samantha,” she said finally. 

Hancock got the feeling that there was more to that- he stared at her and she put her hand on the doorknob. “Thanks for the answer to my question, but that don’t sound much like a message.” 

Samantha smiled. “You’re observant.”

“I try to be," he said, giving Samantha a tight-lipped smirk. "Your message?” As soon as the words left his lips, he realized didn’t want to deliver her message anymore- his insides were screaming at him to just leave, but a deal was a deal, and Hancock didn’t break deals. 

Samantha gave him a sad little smile as she opened the door. “Just tell her I said hi,” she said, pushing him out the room. 

—

With a gasp, Hancock woke up to see Grace crying and Nick looking extremely concerned. His chest felt like it was on fire and his mouth felt like someone had scrubbed it with sandpaper. “Hey, Sunshine,” he said weakly. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you.” 

She grabbed his face and kissed him on the forehead. “Don’t scare me like that!” Her face was blotchy and red, her eyes were bloodshot, and there was snot running down her face, but it was Grace- he was so happy to see her again that he was almost able to ignore the throbbing pain in his chest for a moment. 

“Did you get that sonofabitch?” Hancock asked. 

Grace nodded. “Right after he...shot you.” She looked over her shoulder, where Kellogg’s body lay on the floor. “He tried to take everything from me…again,” she whispered. ”I wasn’t going to let that bastard live...”

“Is that why I feel like my body just got stomped on by a herd of Brahmin?” Hancock asked. 

The detective chuckled from behind her. “You got lucky, John. Turns out your Mentat addiction is a lifesaver,” he said, pointing to the busted tin on the ground. “The tin caught the bullet, but a shot from a magnum packs a whopper of a punch- knocked you right out.”

Something twinged at Hancock. What Nick was saying wasn’t possible- he’d felt the bullet go in, he’d seen the blood and the hole… but the proof to corroborate Nick’s story was right next to him, shattered into tiny pieces on the ground. What the fuck was going on? 

But Hancock took one look at the trembling girl in front of him and immediately decided anything else could wait till later- Grace needed answers about how to find her son, not the hazy ramblings of a fever dream.

_ _

* * *

I was exhausted, mentally and physically- even though Kellogg was dead and Hancock was alive, we were still no closer to finding Shaun. Nick and I had torn apart every inch of his stupid lair and turned up nothing. There was not a single clue in this whole room that could help us find out where the Institute was. “_Goddamn it!_” I howled. “_I killed you and you’re still fucking with me!_” I screamed, kicking the corpse in the head. 

Hancock squinted from his seated position. He hadn’t really moved much since he woke up, and I really wanted to give him a stimpak, but he had steadfastly refused. I thought about stabbing him anyway, but I decided not to- in my state I was just as likely to screw something up as I was to help. “Hey, something just flew out of that jackass when you kicked it,” he said, pointing to a small metal doodad that had skittered across the floor. 

Nick bent over and picked up the device, turning it over and over in his fingers. “I guess this explains why he still looks as terrifying as he did back then, Gracie- He wasn’t fully human.”

“Still doesn’t help me find Shaun, so_ fuck him_,” I spat.

“Hmm... maybe it does.” Nick looked at the metal item in his hands. “This is a cybernetic brain augmenter.” 

“English, Nick, I said wearily.

“We may be able to pull some data from his memories,” he said simply. 

My mouth dropped. “That’s a thing?”

Hancock shifted uncomfortably, not moving from his post on the floor. “Did you forget all about the Doc Amari? That’s her whole schtick, rooting around in people brains,” he said. “Maybe she can help you go through it.”

Hope started to bloom in my chest. “Then let’s go home and talk to Doctor Amari.” I said. 

_ _

* * *

_Home_, Hancock thought. She called Goodneighbor _home_. 

He was trying not to read too much into it, but it pleased him to no end every time he thought about it. She considered him _home_. Granted, she hadn’t said him per se, but… 

_Could you just focus on staying upright and get your head out of your ass?_ Hancock shook himself and realized that he was grinning like a moron. Most likely they thought it was from the doses of Med-X they’d pumped him with once the trio had emerged from the hospital, but the kid had started looking at him strangely as he surreptitiously helped him walk. 

MacCready gave Hancock a side-eyed glance, eying his unsteady gait. “You ok there, mayor? You been a little loopy since we left the fort. How hard did you get hit?” 

_If you only knew, kid._ He stopped for a minute, catching his breath. “Pretty hard. Apparently I’m a lucky sonofabitch.” Hancock watched as Grace chatted with Piper, stealing glances back at him ever so often. Nick took the lead, since with Hancock out of commission he had become the de facto guide, and the kid and Dogmeat brought up the rear. Hancock had wanted to walk with Grace, but Piper had stolen her attention as soon as she emerged, trying to dig for details. Hancock thought the girl was a parasite, but Grace enjoyed her company so he kept his mouth shut- it wasn’t worth the arguement. 

The kid looked him up and down. “You look like sh-crud. You need to rest,” he said. 

Hancock shook his head. “Nah, I’ll be alright. Just gotta get home.” _Home. With her…_ it had to be the pain meds making him act this way- he wasn’t a twenty-something anymore. 

_Or maybe it’s the fact that you’ve cheated death and you finally have a chance with her._

_Whatever_, he thought. “So, how come you aren’t up front shooting your shot with the reporter?” Hancock asked the kid, trying to stop himself from daydreaming and slowing everyone down. 

“Because someone had to go ahead and get himself shot,” he said. “Wasn’t my intention to play babysitter on this trip.” Hancock stumbled and the kid caught him- silently, he breathed a sigh of relief for the quick save.

MacCready frowned at him. “Watch it there, twinkle toes. Wouldn’t want the Princess to see and start worrying.” The kid leaned in and whispered, “You need a stimpak. I can tell you’ve got a few broken ribs from the way you’re breathin’.”

Hancock scowled. “Those stims ain’t mine, they’re hers… I’ll be fine.” 

MacCready clapped him hard on the back, and Hancock had to bite back a scream of anguish. When he turned to the kid, snarling, Mac simply raised an eyebrow. “Look, I get you not wanting her to know how bad you’re hurt… but you’re gonna do more damage if you don’t take care of it now. If you don’t want her to know, we can use one from my bag- I’ll only charge you double, since I like you.” 

“It ain’t that bad.” Hancock shuffled along uncomfortably, but the kid was right. Most likely, his ribs were shattered and he was nowhere in the vicinity of fine. The walking had to be making it worse- he hoped they would stop and make camp soon, but he’d be damned if he would be the one to bring it up. 

MacCready sighed and reached into his bag, shoving the stimpak into the mayor’s side through a hole in his coat. “You are such a jerk,” he said quietly. “You know good and darn well she wouldn’t want you shuffling along like this. Stop playing tough before I tell her myself.” Raising his voice so the others could hear, Mac cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “are you guys trying to murder me? I’ve been traveling all dang day and I'm starving! If we don’t stop soon I’m gonna eat your dog, Princess!”

Dogmeat growled, but the kid winked and scratched him behind the ears- the dog wagged his tail, apparently ok with the ruse if it resulted in pets. Hancock sighed- they had planned to stop in Diamond City and drop off the reporter, but taking a pit stop right now wouldn’t be the worst thing. He’d have to remember to thank the kid somehow. 

\--

That night they made it to Graygarden, which was a sight- a whole town ran by robots? He thought he might be losing his mind, but Grace had walked right over to the one with that sounded like a sexy dame and chatted with her- apparently they had met before. 

Exhausted, Hancock leaned against a tree and rested, trying to get his bearings while Mac and Nick sat nearby, pretending to not keep an eye on the mayor. Piper had muttered something about ‘human interest’ and started interviewing the robots. He decided he didn’t really care what she did- he was just glad she was no longer actively trying to keep Grace away from him. 

Just as he started to doze off from the drugs and the pain, he felt a kiss on his forehead. He opened one eye, praying it wasn’t the kid playing another prank on him, and was pleased as punch to see Grace’s sparkling green eyes shining down on him. He gave her a hazy grin and she flicked his hat. “Sunshine the diplomat,” he said. 

She grinned at him. “Hey, who knew this whole Minuteman thing would come in handy?” Grace sat next to him and he placed an arm around her. “How you feeling, John?” 

He started to shrug, but realized he hurt way too much and grimaced. “I’ve definitely been better.” He saw her frown and rubbed her shoulder. “But I’m still here, so that’s all that counts… I ain’t going anywhere that easily.” He brushed a hair from her face. “How are you holding up?” He stared out into the fading light of the sky, trying to find the right words but failing. Instead, he settled on the truth. “Sorry we didn’t find Shaun.”

She sighed a deep sigh. “I don’t want to talk about it.” 

He almost objected, but what could he say? “What do you want to talk about?” Hancock asked softly. 

She paused and looked down, trailing her fingers through the nearby dirt. “I thought I lost you,” she said softly. “I was so scared- for a minute, I swore I saw… I thought I saw you die.” She wrapped her arms around him and he winced- every touch made him want to scream, but he refused to tell her to stop. “And then I knew that was it. I’d lost Nate and Shaun… I couldn’t lose you too.”

“So…” he paused. What was he asking? He couldn’t decide, so he left it alone. Before he could stop, he heard himself speak. “Sunshine, can I tell you something?” 

“Sure, John,” she said, closing her eyes. “What is it?”

“I had the weirdest dream while I was passed out back there.”

“What was it like?” She snuggled closer, and he wrapped his hand around hers. “Was it full of caps, chems and beautiful women? If so, I think you may have actually died,” she joked. “Just glad you came back to me,” she said, kissing his hand. 

Hancock chuckled. “Even it did, it couldn’t have been heaven- you weren’t there.” 

She groaned. “That is so cheesy,” she said, laughing. “But it still earns you major brownie points with me.” 

He smirked at her. “What do I get when I have enough points?” 

Grace’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “What do you want?”

He didn’t hesitate. “You,” he said, cupping her chin in his hand and kissing her lips. She let out a soft moan and kissed him back, causing Hancock to become so lost in the taste of her that he forgot to tell her about his dream.

_ _

* * *

In the morning, Piper was itching to get back to her sister and start her article, so we decided to stop in Diamond City before the rest of us continued along to Goodneighbor.

As we approached the lights of the city, Piper started to get pensive. “Hey Blue, can I ask you a question?” 

I raised an eyebrow. “This on or off the record, Pipes?”

“Umm…” I glared at her and she laughed. “Fine! Off the record.” She wandered over to the shade of some trees, and thought about what she wanted to say. Finally, she put her hands on her hips and stared at me. “Blue, what is going with you and Hancock?”

I was confused. “Huh?” She just continued to stare at me- finally understanding dawned on my face. “Oh! You mean...” She nodded, and I turned to look back at the rest of our crew. Mac and Hancock were talking and Nick was tossing sticks for Dogmeat to fetch. No one was actively paying any attention, so that probably meant they were secretly listening to every word. “Well… I… Why do you ask?” 

She wasn’t buying my stall tactics. “You just lost your husband, Blue, but to look at you and Hancock, you wouldn’t know it. You two act like a bunch of teenagers together, and I just don’t get it.”

I sighed- I hadn’t told anyone except Hancock about Nate and I. Come to think of it, this may explain a lot, I thought. It might be why Nick was constantly hovering over us like a chaperone at a school dance and giving us disapproving looks- he was pre-war, he probably thought I was acting up out of shock or something. Mac, bless his heart, just enjoyed giving the two of us shit. 

“Pipes,” I said softly. “What I used to have with Nate has nothing to do with what John and I have going on,” I said, hoping to gloss over the details. _Now if someone could just clarify what it was that we had going on, I would be highly appreciative. _

“But… it’s _Hancock_!” Piper was practically spluttering. "He’s…” she looked exasperated. “Do you _know_ the stories they tell about him?”

I didn’t know the stories, but to be frank, I didn’t care. I smirked at the reporter. “Do you know the stories they used to tell about me?” 

Piper paled a little, then fixed her face into a firm expression. “Highly doubt they can match his.” She reached out and grabbed one of my hands. “Blue, I have never, ever, heard of an instance where Hancock has brought a girl anything but a good time at best and misery at worst. I’m just worried that you’re going to get hurt.” Her eyes were pleading with me. “I’m a reporter- it’s my job to know the stories. If you don’t believe me, ask Nick.”

Nick had turned around to watch us while he played with Dogmeat- Ignoring the implication that the detective was now hanging onto every word, I smiled at the reporter. “Fine- tell me what you think is happening,” I asked her pointedly.

Once again, she didn’t mince words. “I think you’re falling in love with him.” 

My heart skipped a beat. “Hancock and I… we’re just... I don't know... We… We aren’t even really together-“ I stammered. “How could you possibly-“

She smirked. “Save it, Blue. I noticed you didn’t deny it, though.”

I was determined to shift some of the heat back onto her. Hell, if she had some insight into this situation, I would love to hear it. “Well, since you know so much, Miss Smartypants, how do you think he feels about me?”

The smirk disappeared. “I don’t trust him.”

“Now _you’re_ evading the question. I didn’t ask if you trusted it, I’m asking you as my friend… how do you think he feels about me?” 

She sighed. “_If_ I thought he was serious… I’d say he cares about you. I’ve never seen him stick with one person this long, and certainly never heard of him staying sober long enough to take a bullet for someone else. Maybe he thought you’d been holding out on chems and he wasn’t going to let you die without telling him where it was,” she huffed. “Or maybe he’s just waiting for the chance to brag about getting a pre-war into bed with him.” She made a face. “I don’t want you to end up a stupid rumor because of him, Blue. I’d gladly punch his lights out first.”

I stared at her for a bit, and it was at that moment I realized that I would miss having Piper along. If I had any doubts before, I was now fully aware of the fact that she and Hancock were probably never going to be the best of friends. Piper had grown on me- true, she was nosy, but she was also loyal and kind, and she was pretty brave for a sheltered Diamond City girl. Sure, the boys were awesome, but sometimes it was just nice to have another girl around to have your back. This girl was angry at Hancock because she thought he was going to do something shady, and she wanted to cut it off at the pass- I loved her for it. 

I couldn’t think of anything else to do except hug her super tight, which surprised the reporter. “What was that for, Blue? I thought I'd just made you mad.” 

“You did,” I said, still hugging her. “But more importantly, you made me think that you care about me and not just your next story- and even if I don't agree, I'm happy to have you looking out for me.”

Piper pulled back and stared me in the eye. “Of course I’m looking out for you, Blue! You’re my friend!” She paused. “At least, I’d like us to be,” she said, eyes moving to avoid mine. “I don’t have too many of those,” she said softly. 

“You do now,” I said, smiling. “Just… try not to murder John before I figure out what we actually have going on. Besides,” I said brightly, “if you would just stop biting his head off, you could have the biggest story in the Commonwealth- Mayor of Goodneighbor has a pity fling with 200-year old Popsicle.”

She laughed so loud that our companions turned around to see what the deal was, and the reporter clamped her hands over her mouth to stifle her laughter. “I couldn’t sell that story- no one would believe it! Blue, he’d be the luckiest bastard on the planet if you settled for him- _and he knows it_!”

We both had a good chuckle at that, and I saw the glimmers of a smile peeking out the corners of Nick’s mouth. I was right- from the looks of it, he was listening to every word. 

—

After dropping off Piper in Diamond City, the five of us returned to Goodneighbor. It was late and I was exhausted, but I was desperate to see Doctor Amari and figure out what was going on with that doohickey that Nick carried. When I suggested that we head straight over there and get her to help us, the men all took one look at me and laughed. 

Nick was the one to first take pity on me. “Gracie, Amari isn’t up and if she was, you don’t want to bug her this late.” 

I huffed. “So what do we do now?”

Hancock shuffled towards me- he wouldn’t confirm it, but it looked like he was still in pain. “We go home, go to bed, and get some rest so we can tackle this in the morning." 

Mac nodded. “Yeah, no sense in pi-upsetting the doc by waking her up. Get some beauty sleep- I’ve heard couples start to look alike, but in this case, you might wanna rethink that option.” 

I glared at him, but there was no heat behind it. “Screw you, kid,” I said as I shoved him. 

He grinned and made a big show of stumbling to the ground. “Ow! Watch out Mayor, this one’s got a temper!”

Hancock grinned and pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms in front of me and resting his chin on my shoulder. “I guess I’ll save you from her this time- you owe me one, kid.“ He placed a kiss on my cheek. “‘Sides, I like her temper.”

I felt myself blushing in the moonlight. 

—

Instead, we headed out to see Daisy, who was closing up shop.

Dogmeat barked a greeting, and the old woman turned around, face lighting up with a smile. "Well, if it isn’t my favorite crew! How's the travels comin'?"

I ran over and gave the shopkeeper a hug. "I missed you, Daisy!" 

She blushed. "Missed you too, hon. Ain't too many folks to chat about good literature with when you're out." I laughed, and Daisy eyed Hancock, who was leaning heavily on the counter. "You a'ight there, John?"

Hancock reached in his pocket and pulled out an inhaler of Jet. "S'nothing. Just need a good night's sleep, is all." 

Daisy stared at him intently, but didn't comment on it further. "Well, good thing it's been pretty quiet, for the most part."

Hancock caught the meaning in her words. "What do you mean, 'for the most part?' Who did Fahr murder while I was gone?"

The shopkeeper laughed and scratched Dogmeat, who had rolled over to get his daily allotment of belly rubs from the ghoul. "You might be busted up, but at least your ears are still sharp." She turned to look at Mac. "Some gunners strolled through while you were out- they were looking for you." She placed a hand on the kid's shoulder. "I'd watch out for them if I were you."

Even in the low light, I could see that Mac had turned slightly pale- I stared at him with concern, and he immediately tried to play it off. "Pshh. It'll get handled."

I looked at the kid. "Damn straight it will. No one fucks with the Misfits," I said. "Long as none of them does anything stupid, like trying to run off without telling someone what might be going on. Cause that'd be really stupid, right?" I stared him right in the eye. "Like that's grounds for a certain Princess to find a certain kid and punch him in the nuts levels of stupid. It might even be shoot a kid in the ass levels of stupid- I mean, if that's what it takes to make a kid stay put till he can work with his crew to come up with a plan, you gotta do it, right?"

Nick chuckled. "Sounds like most people wouldn't want to be that stupid, kid." Dogmeat gave a small yip. "Even the pooch agrees," said the detective, bending down to give him a pet along with Daisy.

Mac squirmed uncomfortably- even Hancock winced. "You know, you're a little scary sometimes, Princess."

I shrugged. "Meh, it's a hypothetical. Won't apply to any of us, right?" 

Daisy laughed, standing up and leaning on the counter again. "Kinda nice to have someone else out here to try and save these two boys from themselves. You guys stickin' around for a minute?"

I nodded. "Waiting for Doc Amari to open up. Got something I need her to help me with." I shuffled my feet. "John won't let me go see her till the morning."

Daisy nodded with approval. "John's still got a brain in his head, then. Plus, he looks like he's about to fall over in about ten seconds. You should get to bed," she said, looking him up and down.

"I'm fine," he growled. "Why does everyone say-"

Suddenly, MacCready clapped him lightly on the back and Hancock yelped in pain, reaching for his gun. I knew he had to be in extreme amounts of pain, because the kid had time to move to the other side of the store before he even got the pistol out of the holster.

From across the room, Mac stood behind me and used me as a human shield. "Go to bed, Mayor, or I'm siccing the Princess on you," he said with a frown. "You're running on empty and everyone knows it... except her." 

I glanced at the kid and realized that he was right- I felt like a self-absorbed asshole. I knew he wasn't well, but I had been so focused on finding answers that I completely ignored the signs that Hancock did, in fact, look like he had been hit by a truck a few times. Daisy nodded in agreement and Nick sighed, looking for all the world like he wanted to be anywhere else but here at the moment. 

I moved over to Hancock, gently placing my hand on his shoulder. "How long has it been this bad, John?" I asked softly.

He shrugged, still trying to downplay the injury. "Told you, it's nothing...The kid's just an asshole."

I frowned. "You need rest, John- you should have said something! I would have-" 

Daisy sighed and cut me off. "Alright, time for the adults to step in. Grace, take John home and get him to bed. No stops, no drinks, no funny business." She glanced over at Dogmeat, who wagged his tail in appreciation. "Leave my fur buddy here with me- he and I have some stories to catch up on. Plus, I think there's a leftover brahmin steak in the fridge that has his name on it."

She then turned to the kid, hands on her hip. "Mac, get to bed and stay out of trouble for the night- I hear about anything out of order and I'm calling her over to watch you," she said, pointing at me.

Mac saluted. "Wouldn't want the Princess having to leaving the mayor on my account, would we? No sense in having them both trying to stick my head on a pike."

Being the mature adult I am, I stuck my tongue out at the kid and Mac responded by politely flipping me off.

“Heaven help us all,” Nick muttered, shaking his head.

\-- 

First thing in the morning we all headed to the Memory Den, hoping that the doctor could give us answers. However, Doctor Amari looked very much like she would rather not have us all in her workspace. “Why are you all here?” She asked curtly.

Before I could defend my presence, Nick spoke up. “Sorry to bother you, Doc, but this little lady needs your help.”

He presented the doc with the metal piece we found, and she took it, astounded. “What is this? Is this what I think it is?”

Nick nodded, leaning against a terminal. “It's a cybernetic brain augmenter, yep,” the detective said. 

The doctor looked horrified. “And how did you get this? Is that-“ she stared at the fleshy bit hanging on the end of a wire. “What did you do?"

I glared at the doctor, anger flashing across my face. “We took it from a serious dick who stole my son and killed my husband. Considering I blew his face off, I’m not exactly inclined to give a shit about how he feels,” I growled. 

Nick gently pushed me to the side and turned to the doctor. “Think you can hook up this old bucket of bolts and get some info off that thing? The previous owner owes us some serious information.”

Doctor Amari gulped and nodded. “I think I may be able to help, yes. Come with me.”

\--

A short time later, Nick was strapped into a chair, and Mac, Hancock and I all held our breath while the Doc fiddled with knobs the dashboard. There were beeps, but nothing was showing up on the screen. The doctor cursed and slammed her fists on the desk. “Damn it! I can’t get the connections right,” she grumbled. “It needs a human brain to work- Valentine just won’t do.” 

I looked at Hancock, whose eyes were opening wider and wider. Trying to avoid his gaze, I turned to the doc. “Maybe I could help.” 

Amari’s eyes lit up. “Yes- that would be perfect! If we could reroute the connections-“ she looked thoughtful. “However, I don’t know what it might do. There could be side effects-“ Her voice trailed off, and she wandered over to the computer to make some adjustments. 

Hancock glared at me. “Or, the woman with nightmares and flashbacks could just, you know, _not_ dive into the crazy murder brain. Wild idea, I know.”

Undaunted, I glared back at him, but then Mac nodded. “I’m with the mayor- I’m firmly on the side of not entering the murder brain.” He leaned over and whispered, “You don’t have to do this, Princess.”

“I do, actually,” I stared at both of them. “I did _not_ come this far to lose now- I need to know what he knew about Shaun, and if this is the only way, so be it, Plus,” I said, smiling sadly, “it wasn’t like I’m supposed to be here anyway. Technically, I'm way past my expiration date,” I joked. Mac and Hancock did not laugh. 

Amari was silent- Hancock grabbed my hands. “Sunshine,” he said, pulling me in tight and burying his face in my hair. “If something were to happen to you, I don’t know what I'd do. _Please_… don’t do this,” he said. “Let me do it.” He raised his voice towards the doctor. “Could you hook me in instead?”

I shook my head furiously. “John, no! I’m not going to let you do this.” I sighed. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be. We knew that this was going to be risky, but we let Nick do it. We can’t just back out when it’s my turn- this is for me,” I said, holding his hands. “You know I have to do this.” I shrugged. “I mean, you’ve lived this long without me, you’ll be fine.” 

He shook his head and kissed the top of mine. “That’s debatable, Sunshine.” He turned to the doc again. “Is there any way I can do it?” Amari ignored him, clearly trying to stay out of a domestic squabble.

From behind Hancock, MacCready watched the exchange with sad interest, looking back and forth between us as we bickered. “Sorry, Princess, but just to be clear, I’m not volunteering. I draw the line at potential brain-scrambling.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Like I said, I'm with the mayor- I don't think you should do this."

Seeing that this was going nowhere, I untangled myself from Hancock and whispered in his ear. “I need you to stay here- if something goes wrong, promise me-“

“I can’t let you-“

“Promise me, John.” I looked him in his eyes. “I know it's a lot, but if something goes wrong, I need you to try and find my son. Let him know his mom did everything she could to find him-”

“F-Skip that. Tell him yourself,” Mac said, turning away. “Besides, you’re too stubborn to let something happen.”

“Sunshine, _please_,” Hancock whispered. “Don’t do this. Let me-“

“Promise me,” I said, staring into his eyes and trying to exact a promise I knew I had no business asking for. When he finally nodded, I kissed him, gently nibbling his lip and savoring the taste of him in case it was the last kiss we shared. He was pressing himself into me, deepening his kiss. I was sure he was trying to make me forget what I planned to do, and it was working. In order to stop myself from backing out, I closed my eyes and pulled away, heading slowly towards the lounger. 

Trying not to look back, I got myself strapped in. “When I get out of this- if you still want to…” I took a deep breath. “I want to.” Once I was safely inside I turned my head away, waiting on the lounger to close.

“I want you,” I said as my vision went black and I was plunged into the memories.

_ _

* * *

MacCready held Hancock back as Grace got into the pod, and he was thankful for his intervention- without it, he couldn’t be sure he wasn’t going to try to yank the foolhardy girl out of the chair. He felt like screaming- he just couldn’t be sure if he was actually doing it or if it was just in his mind. 

“Hancock, calm down!” The kid was actively pulling on him now- he must’ve been struggling harder than he thought. “The doc’s got something up on the screen- look!” When he stopped fighting, he turned and saw the monitor. He took a breath and tried to focus as images began to shimmer and come into view on the terminal screen. He could see memories, but they were Kellogg’s. Him as a small boy, to be exact. He watched as Amari called out to Grace on the microphone, guiding her from memory to memory, but Hancock was barely paying attention. Rationally, he knew that Grace was fine if she was responding to Amari’s words, but there was something terrifying about seeing her and Nick motionless in the loungers. He wanted to go and wake her up, but he knew he couldn’t interfere. 

He was half-watching as she drifted along, torn between checking what was happening on the screen and in the lounger. When his attention returned to the doc and the kid, he noticed Mac was pale and uncharacteristically silent. “Oh no…” Hancock muttered under his breath. “Not this one…"

Suddenly, he heard rapid beeping from a nearby terminal and his head immediately snapped to attention. Grace herself was on the screen now- the terminal was now showing a memory of when that asshole stole her kid and murdered her old man. He felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as he watched Kellogg shoot her husband and snatch the kid from his arms, and felt sick when he saw Grace banging on the cryo-tube, trapped inside. Hancock now knew why she was so incensed when she heard that voice in the elevator- even in memory, his presence was making his blood boil. Just when he thought the memory was over, the scene began to replay- in response, the beeping got progressively louder.

_Shit, she’s reliving this. Again._

Hancock was trying to sound calm, but he knew he was probably failing miserably. “Why is everything beeping all of a sudden?" He glanced over at the doc, who was fixated on the terminal. "Amari, what’s going on?”

The doctor ignored him and continued to talk into the microphone. “Grace, it’s not real. Find a way out- you did it before, just do it again.” She waited, but despite the doctor’s soothing tone, the beeps were getting progressively louder. 

Hancock's nerves couldn’t take the silence anymore. “For fuck's sake, Doc- what’s going on?”

After what felt like an eternity, Mac answered him while the doctor worked frantically at the terminal. “It looks like she’s freaking out in there. My guess is that she thinks this is happening to her again.”

_Shit_. Hancock knew how dangerous that could be- he’d met one too many people who went to relive their memories and got stuck, never coming back the same or at all. He’d be damned if that happened to her and especially not on this memory. “Doc, she can hear you on that thing, right?” Amari nodded, but before she could say a word, Hancock had snatched the headset from her and started putting it on his head. 

“Hey!” She protested. “You could-“

Hancock was too busy ignoring her and fitting himself with the headset to care about her protestations. “What’s wrong with her, Doc?” He was trying to keep the panic out of his voice, but he could feel it creeping up his spine. 

The doc sighed. “She’s stuck in a temporal loop, and her heart rate and blood pressure are climbing. I need her to find the path to the next memory and get out of this one- if I don’t, she’s going to have a stroke.”

His heart began to race. “Let me help… tell me what to do.”

_ _

* * *

_Nate! Shaun!_

I saw Kellogg raise that gun and shoot Nate right between the eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time, and I was ready to give up. Seeing this over and over was slowly driving me mad- I wanted to get out, but I was paralyzed with grief. _Blam_! Once again, the gun went off and Nate slumped over in the tube, motionless. However, this time it was different- blackness began to creep around the edges of the scene and the vault was fading away, but I was still seeing Nate, in that spot, blood spilling down his face. 

Suddenly, he jerked his head up and stared at me. "Hey honey, how’s it going?" Nate’s voice was cold, echoing off the invisible walls. "Fancy meeting you here, you know, since you let me die and all. I was wondering when we’d get a chance to chat.”

When I didn’t respond, he cocked his head to the side. “What’s this? The loudmouth doesn’t have a voice for once? No quips? No jokes to hide behind?” He smiled, causing blood to pool into his mouth and make his once white teeth glisten with a red sheen. “That’s ok- I can talk. You can listen for once.”

At this, I began to scream inside my head and I felt my heart thudding in my ears. 

I scanned the room but there was darkness everywhere- the only thing I could see was Nate, grinning that blood-covered smile. “What’s wrong?" he asked. "Trying to run away again?” He put his hand under his chin like he was posturing a problem. “Do you ever get tired of running, Grace?”

_Calm down, Grace- this isn’t real. It’s not real. I’m-_

“It’s not real? So why can I hear you, hmm?” He laughed and it reverberated in my brain, causing me to let out another internal scream.”Oh, Grace, don’t scream now- you’re hurting my feelings. We’ve got eternity together, remember? You know, till death do us part? But guess what- I’m the only one who’s dead. Guess that means we get to chat for a while, huh?” He rubbed his hands together and his horrible smile got even wider. "Isn’t that great?” 

_Not real not real not real-_

“Oh Grace, it’s time to stop running,” he chided, making a tsk noise and waving a finger at me. “You ran from your family, and look what happened- you came into my life and fucked it up. It took the end of the world to get away from you… funny how that works, ain’t it?” He crossed his arms and stared at me, unblinking. “You're a disaster, you know that? You didn't even have the decency to die with me after all you put me through, and now you’re dragging others into your mess? How long before they realize you’re dead inside? How long before they find out you aren’t capable of loving anyone other than yourself, hmm?” 

_That’s not Nate. Nate wasn’t like that. Nate was-_

Nate cocked his head at an unnatural angle and stared at me. “And how would you know what I was like? You fucked me because you were a drunk slut at a party and I was too distracted by the nice ass to realize how much trouble you were going to be.” He laughed that horrible laugh again. “Guess that’s what I get for fucking a half-breed, huh?” 

_That’s not Nate,_ I repeated to myself._ Nate was kind. Nate wasn’t ever mean. He-_

“You’re right, I was kind, and look where that got me- frozen with a bullet in my brain.” He laughed again. " It’s ok though. You’re here now, and we’re together. No job for you to rush off to and pretend you’re too important to do anything right at home, no kid for you to hide behind. It's just you and me, forever. Isn’t that wonderful?” 

He took a step closer and I screamed, rattling my brain with the vibration. I just wanted to pass out or die- I didn’t care which one. Right now, I would take whatever would stop him from talking to me. 

“Oh, you don’t want me anymore? You want that motherfucker you’re running around with nowadays? God, that’s just like you, acting like the whore you are.” He shook his head and glared at me. "I’m glad Shaun’s gone, so he doesn’t have to see his mom out here like a fucking slut, spreading her-“ 

Just as I couldn’t take anymore, I heard a new voice in the darkness, cutting through the tears and screams.

“Sunshine, come back.” 

Those three words made the world shift, even made Nate reel from the force of them. He sneered, trying to diminish the joy that was flaming inside my soul. “Oh, so that’s who you’ve replaced me with. No accounting for taste with you, is there?” 

“Sunshine, you promised. You promised me you’d always come home, remember?”

_I want to come home…_

Nate laughed, a horrible belly laugh that showed stained crimson teeth and rivulets of blood on his face clear as day. “Home? You never had a home. I tried to give you a home, but you never wanted one. What, you're lying to this man too?” 

Hancock’s voice cut through the darkness again. “You asked me if I still wanted to be with you, but I never stopped wanting it in the first place. Come on back and I can show you.” I heard him chuckle, rich and throaty, and I could hear the edges of his mouth turning up slightly, bringing pinpricks of light back to my world. “You’re mine, Sunshine- I ain’t scared to say it to you. Don’t you want to see the kid teasing me about it? Don’t you want to see ol’ Pipes lose her shit when she finds out about it?”

Nate’s face was furious now, his grey eyes ablaze with anger. “You know he’s lying to you… he just doesn’t want you here with me. He doesn’t know you- he won’t want you when he realizes how selfish you are. He’s gonna run away, just like you do, and you’ll deserve every bit of it. Sunshine?” He scoffed. “You’re not the sun, you’re nuclear fire- it’s just too bad you didn’t die in the apocalypse.”

Hancock's voice echoed within the room, warming my heart and calming me down. “You know, I ain’t never been like this with anyone else-“

“Ha!” Nate said, but his voice had lost some of its power. "He’s lying and you know it… Don’t listen to him… you can’t find our kid and you couldn’t save me… you know don’t deserve to be happy!" 

Hancock continued unabated. “Been too busy trying to fight it to do something about it, but you need to come back so I can tell you.” Hancock paused. “Come back so I can tell you everything."

_I want you, John. _

The darkness was starting to fade, bringing light back into the room. Thankfully, Nate was beginning to walk away from me, scowling. “Fuck you, Grace. You were the worst decision I ever made. At least I can die knowing you’re someone else’s problem instead of mine. I’m so pissed that I even met you.”

_You aren’t Nate,_ I thought, this time with more confidence. 

“That’s right, Sunshine, listen to me- come back so we can find your kid- Shaun needs you. Hell, I need you- I can’t do this without you.” His voice broke. "We’re partners, remember? You’re my… “ He paused. 

Nate seized that moment and the unsettling grin suddenly returned to his face. “See? He can’t keep the lie up.” He opened his arms up as he backed into the cryotube. “I’m always here for you… I won’t lie to you. I’ll tell you all the things you already know and we can be here, together. No lies, no false hope. Just you and me, Grace. Just you and me.”

“You’re my everything, Sunshine.” His voice cracked- I heard him swallow. "I don’t care how it sounds and I don’t care who knows it, but I need you to come back so I can show you.”

_I want to go home,_ I thought. _I want to see you. I want to find Shaun._

"It only matters if you find the path and come home, Sunshine- find it and come back to me."

_Nate, I forgive you. No…that’s not right- you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s me I forgive- I forgive myself. _

The world suddenly exploded in light, and Nate was once again still, dead in the tube. But this time, there was a glistening blue path at the end of the hallway. I didn’t stop to question it- I just ran for the exit.

_ _

* * *

When Hancock gave the headset back to the doctor, his hands were shaking and he had tears in his eyes. He was secretly hoping that Grace would jump up when she got out of the pod and tease him for overreacting, but one look at the other faces in the room told him the truth. He knew it and they knew it- she had almost died in that chair, trapped and alone in that prison of memory. 

_Thought you weren’t running anymore, Hancock? Is it gonna take you losing her to realize you had something to lose?_

He tried to rationalize it- he had told her once, let her know how he felt, and she brushed him off.

_How is she supposed to know you aren’t bullshitting her? You deny how you feel every time someone calls you out on it. You know Piper told her the stories. What if she thinks you’re just like everyone else who’s trying to get in her pants? She thinks this is probably just another way for you to pass the time. I mean, you don’t know her- how could you care about her?_

_That’s wrong,_ he thought. No one else made him feel the way she did- no one else mattered as much as she did. 

_Why her? What are you going to do about it?_

Hancock realized he didn't know the answer to his question, so he just watched and waited. 

\--

The Doctor was watching the screen like a hawk, trying to make sure that Grace stayed on the straight and narrow. This time, Hancock was following along with the memory- he’d learned his lesson on not paying attention. Kellogg was talking with a Courser and Grace’s kid was playing nearby. After a minute, the Courser left a file on the nearby desk and disappeared in a flash of light.

Doctor Amari practically crowed. “That’s it! That’s why we can never find them- they teleport!” Hancock didn’t share her enthusiasm- he didn’t think it was worth Grace almost dying over, but hey, it was certainly new information. The file, which was about the Institute wanting Kellogg finding a Dr. Virgil in the Glowing Sea, seemed important. Hancock had a sinking suspicion he knew where they were going next- if this scientist was wanted by the Institute, Virgil must have some serious information. At the very least, the guy would have to know a way inside, and that was more than they had right now. He knew that Grace was going to stop at nothing to get inside and get her boy- Hancock knew that as well as he knew his own name. He also knew that he was going to help her do it, consequences be damned. Wherever his sunshine went, he was going to follow- it was as simple as that. 

Now she just had to wake up so he could tell her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to know more about Samantha? Check out Chapter 7: Loopholes in _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_


	16. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace needs a minute and Nick helps 

_ _

* * *

“Welcome back,” Doctor Amari said. “Be careful, you two- there could be some residual effects from your trip."

That was an understatement- I felt like absolute garbage. I was covered in sweat, my hands were clammy, and my insides started to churn as soon as the pod opened. Immediately, I leaned over the side and puked. 

Hancock rushed over to me, sidestepping my stomach contents and helping me out of the pod. On the other side of the room, Mac was at Nick’s lounger, assisting the detective. The room was spinning, and I couldn’t keep my balance- he ushered me to a seat nearby. Once Hancock was sure I was stable, he walked over to his pack, grabbing a towel and a bottle of water. 

“Drink up,” he said, passing me the bottle and wiping my head with the towel. 

I drank the water thirstily, gulping it down almost instantly. When I finished, I wiped my face with my sleeve. “Oh my god….” I did not feel well by any stretch of the imagination- my brain felt like it was on fire.

“Shhhh… take a minute.” Hancock frowned. “It… it wasn’t good in there, Sunshine.” He looked at me, worry evident in his face. "You should probably rest.” 

I shivered and hugged my arms to my chest, trying to get warm. “I’ll be alright.” I had never felt so cold- it was as if there was a chill in my very bones, and it seemed like I would never be warm again. “Is there a blanket around here I can use? I’m freezing."

He sighed and took off his coat, placing it over my shoulders. “All you ever have to do is ask, Sunshine.” He kissed me on my head. “Thanks for coming home,” he whispered. 

I closed my eyes. “For you, always.”

He smiled. “You know we gotta talk, Sunshine.”

“We always need to talk,” I said, giggling weakly. “But first, I need to clean up that mess.” I gestured to the puddle next to the lounger. “That right there is no way to leave the Doc’s shop. I should clean up before I get banned from here for life...and you never know when I'll need her to muck about in some memories for me." 

Hancock was about to protest, but Nick walked over to me, interrupting his potential tirade. “Hey, Gracie,” He turned to look at Hancock. “John, do you mind if I talk to this lady alone for a minute? I just want to check on her and see how she's doing.” The detective gave me a look, and instantly I knew... he saw. I shuddered at the realization.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Hancock looked at Nick like he had lost his mind. “Does she look like-“

The detective cut him off. “It’s important, John,” he said, looking at me. “I think a memory glitched- I just want to check on her.”

This did nothing to alleviate Hancock's concerns- he glowered at the detective. “Nick, you know I love you, but right now, you can-“ 

“John,” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder and getting shakily to my feet. “Let me clean that up and talk to Nick, ok?” I knew Hancock was on edge, but so was I- if Nick could help me make sense of things, then the detective and I needed to talk for sure.

Hancock was not happy- his face was clearly saying 'absolutely fucking not', but in the end, he let out a weary sigh.“Go... I’ll handle things in here,” 

“I can’t let you do that- it’s kinda disgusting,” I said, grimacing and standing up. “I can handle it. 

He gave me a genuine smile at that. “Nah...professional junkie, remember? You ain’t the first person to lose their lunch around me.” He swatted my butt. “Go, before I change my mind and tie to you this chair.” 

I raised my eyebrow at him. “Is that a threat or a promise?” 

“Guess you are ok,” Nick said, shaking his head. Hancock didn't respond- he was too busy trying not to choke. 

— 

Nick and I went outside in the lobby and I leaned my head on his shoulder as we sat on the couch. “I don’t know if I can thank you enough for that,” I admitted. “How are you doing?” 

He chuckled. “I don’t know- you heard the doc- that might be a few residual impressions, but otherwise I’m fit as a fiddle.” He turned to me, concern in his yellow eyes. “The real question is, how are you?" 

“What do you mean?” I asked cautiously. “What do you think you saw?” 

The detective sighed. “I saw your husband, sweetheart.” 

“Everyone did,” I said. “They saw that bastard shoot him, over and over again.” 

“True,” Nick agreed. “But you and I both know that wasn’t what was always going on.” He paused for a minute. “For me, it was like there was a layer playing over the memory- I could also see a version of your husband taunting you. It was weird... like you were affecting the memory somehow.” 

“Yep, that’s about right.” I scanned the room. “Any liquor in here to help with this awkward chat?” 

Nick chuckled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a flask and handing it to me. “Shhh, don’t tell John- I’ll never hear the end of it.” I mimed locking my lips and I grinned, taking the flask and downing half of it in one swallow. It tasted like whiskey - the liquid burned going down, washing away the acrid taste from my mouth. “So,” he continued. “Want to talk about it?”

I shrugged. “I assume ’no’ isn’t going to fly, huh?” The detective just stared at me, unblinking, and I sighed. “Fine. What do you want to talk about?”

The detective hugged me. “You know none of what he was saying was true, right?”

I clasped my hands together and looked down. “That’s just it, Nick. It was like all of my fears and insecurities came to life in one Nate-sized nightmare-fuel package.” 

“But why him?” When I didn’t answer, Nick looked thoughtful. “Can I make a conjecture?”

“May as well,” I said glumly. “Not like I have a real answer for it.” 

“To me, it looked like you felt guilty about something. What was it?” He asked softly. 

I thought about my reply for a moment. “Nate was not a bad guy. We didn’t meet well, that part he didn’t really lie about. I hooked up with him at a party and I got knocked up. Highly improbable and unlucky, yes. But here we are- can’t change that. After I told him, he did the honorable thing and tried to marry me. Didn’t want him to, but he proposed anyway- said it would kill my career here otherwise. So I accepted, we were married and had Shaun, but I never really loved Nate. I always felt guilty about that… thought I would grow to love him because he was such a good person. Guess the apocalypse had other plans,” I said sadly.

“You don’t believe those things about yourself, do you?” Nick asked quietly. “Because you know they aren’t true, right?” 

I thought about it for a moment, trying to give the detective an honest answer. “I feel like they are.”

“They aren’t.” He hugged me. “If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?”

“Maybe,” I said. “I won’t lie to you, but I may not tell you. Can you work with that?”

He nodded. “Grace, do you really think you should’ve died instead of him?” 

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. “Every day.” I leaned against the detective again and finished the contents of the flask. “I fucked up his life by getting knocked up and letting him marry a woman he didn’t love. Then I get him killed and his son taken away by the boogeyman of the Commonwealth. So, yeah, I think it should’ve been me.” I shook the empty container, hoping for more booze- when I found none, I handed the flask back to the detective.

“So you don’t think you deserve to be happy, huh?” When I shook my head no, he squeezed my shoulders. “You do, Grace. You deserve to be happy. Tell me something else,” he said.

“What?" 

“I heard Amari calling… did you? “ 

I shook my head. “I only heard John.” 

“Ahhh,” Nick said. Yeah, I heard him too. What are you gonna do about that?”

I pursed my lips at the question I had been avoiding. “Is ignoring it an option?”

“Do you want it to be?” He gave me a knowing smile. "Seems like that’s the last thing you want since he was the only thing that got you out of there today.” 

“I can’t- I got Nate killed, Nick! I can’t let that happen to him, too. He almost died because of me-"

Nick shook his head. “Don’t do that- You didn’t cause the war. What happened to Nate was unfortunate, but John is a big boy, Gracie. He knows what the risks are out there. And no matter what happened with you and Nate, John loves you.” 

I scoffed. “Doubtful.” 

He playfully tweaked my nose. “And you love him.” 

“You get your brain scrambled in there, old man? No one said anything about loving anyone.” 

“I’ve known John since he was a kid in Diamond City, and I’ve seen him through more scrapes and scuffles than most. He’s a smooth talker, a ladies man, and if we’re being honest, all-around scoundrel when it comes to women. And that’s only been since he turned ghoul- he was even worse before.”

“If this is supposed to make me feel better, you’re doing a shit job of it,” I said. 

“My point is,” Nick said, ignoring me, “is that he is none of those things with you- you got through to him somehow. John’s loyal to a fault, yes. If you're his friend, he'll go to the ends of the Earth for you. But this? It’s different...he's different when he's with you.” 

I closed my eyes. “Flirting and making out with him is fun- it’s safe because it doesn’t mean anything,” I said softly.

“Doesn’t mean anything to you or him?”

“Why would I mean anything to this man? He doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground.” 

Nick smiled. “You didn’t answer my question. Does it mean something to you?” He kissed the top of my head and I felt like I was having a conversation with my dad on the back porch again. “The boy is in love with you, Gracie. Everyone except you sees it. Even Pipes sees it and she hates the man,” he said, chuckling.

“I think your clients should ask for their money back,” I sniffled. “You’re a terrible detective if you think that this is anything more than a fling.”

“Ask him about it then,” he said. “Cause from what I heard, I think you’d be surprised. Let me ask you one more question, Gracie? Do you think you don’t deserve him?” 

“You know I don’t deserve him, Nick. He thinks too highly of me, and I know I don’t deserve it. Maybe-“

Nick interrupted me. “You deserve exactly that, sweetheart. You,” he said, poking me in the chest, “deserve to be cherished and protected, not pitied. You deserve someone who loves you for who you are, warts and all. Now I don’t always agree with the boy, but I agree with him on this- you are worth it. But it doesn't matter what we believe- you have to believe it or it doesn’t matter.”

“You think it’s real, Nick? I’m barely holding on as it is and I have too much riding on me right now. I want to believe something good came out of all this misery, but I can’t bring myself to hope, cause if I dare to hope and this goes tits up, I’m going to break, Nick.”

“You won’t break, Gracie. You’re stronger than you know. But, tell you what,” he said. “If I’m wrong and this goes pear-shaped… you and I can run off and find your boy by ourselves, and you’ll never have to see John again… right after I kick his ass.” 

I laughed. “Pinky swear?” 

He laughed and hooked his finger around mine. “Pinky swear, under one condition- you believe you deserve it and give him a chance to prove it.” 

“That usually comes before you swear, you know.” 

“Forgive an old synth for his transgressions,” he said, chuckling. Shaking my head, I started laughing with him. 

“I guess there’s something I have to do, huh.” I stood up and tried to gather my resolve. "Thanks, Nick," I said, staring down at the floor. 

“Anytime, sweetheart… can you let the kid know you’re alright? He was a bit worried about you after that fiasco in there." He paused for a second. "Oh, and send John out here, would ya?”

I gave Nick a look. “Are you seriously about to have the ‘If you want to date my kid’ chat with John?” 

He shrugged and stared past me, the ghost of a grin playing on his face. “Maybe…”

“Good,” I said, finally smiling myself. “Make sure to scare him too.”

He tipped his hat to me and I went back into the office. 

_ _

* * *

Hancock was not pleased with this turn of events, but at her insistence, he went to the lobby to speak with the detective. He’d asked Grace if she was ok and what this was all about, but she just smiled and pointed to the lobby, indicating the matter was closed until further notice. So, instead of talking to her like he wanted, he had to go and chat with Nick- he certainly hoped this diversion was worth it. 

The detective was sitting in the lobby, whistling to himself when Hancock approached. When he saw him, he patted the seat across from him and Hancock sat down. 

“All right, Nick. What’s going on? I ain't got time for a heart to heart right now.” 

“It’ll be quick, I promise. I just wanted to let you know I heard what you said to Gracie in there.” 

Hancock snorted. “Everyone did. Not like I was whispering or nothin'.”

“True.” The detective fixed him with a stare. “But that means she did, too.” 

“That was the point.” Hancock shifted in his seat. “Nick, why are we talking about this?”

“Because I know you, John. I need to know if you meant it. And I’m gonna be honest with you- if you didn’t, you need to walk away. Now.” Nick fixed the man with a hard stare. "I mean it… no more flirting, no more games- you have to quit all of it right now. It’s not fair to her.”

“Can’t do that, Nick,” Hancock said quietly. “I couldn’t walk away from her if I wanted to.”

“Why?” 

“Oh don’t be like that, you ass,” Hancock said, exasperated. "You already know.”

Nick leaned forward, expression still hard and unreadable. “Humor me.”

"Because… "he thought about it for a moment, trying to make sure he wasn’t lying to himself. "I care about her, Nick.”

"Really?" Nick closed his eyes. "And after all this time, what makes her different from all the rest? Did you care about them?” 

Hancock sighed, hating himself a little for having to admit the truth to the synth. “Honestly, no. No one else mattered. They were fun, yeah, but they didn’t matter one way or the other. They were just a distraction,” he muttered. “A way to pass the time."

"And is Grace a way to pass the time? Something to occupy you before something new comes along?" The detective leaned forward, waiting on Hancock's answer. 

Hancock put a hand to his temple, trying to block out what the detective was insinuating. “No… With Grace, everything is easy-“

Nick snorted. “That’s a lie- nothing with that girl has been easy." 

The ghoul laughed. “True… I guess I mean that with her, being _me_ is easy. I don’t have to try to be what she wants or hide what I am from her… she makes me feel whole.” 

“Not to be insensitive, but is it because she doesn’t mind that you’re a ghoul? I can only imagine how hard it is for you-” 

Hancock cut him off. “I’m gonna say this with all the respect I can muster, Nick…. _Fuck you_. I know you got a better idea than most on what it's like to be what society can’t stand, but you ain’t me- no one is like me.” He took a breath, trying to regain his composure. "Now, I can’t say that I don’t enjoy her touch, Nick. No one’s touched me like she has since before,” he admitted. “But that ain’t the only reason.” He put his head in his hands. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just know that the world before Sunshine felt empty… and now that she’s here, I don’t want to be in a world without her."

“Then you need to tell her how you feel, John, or she’s going to pull away.” 

“She and I talked about this. I can’t burden her with how I feel- she’s got too much on her plate as it is.” 

“Gracie needs something happy on her plate, John. She needs to know that out here, she can have at least one thing she wants. And despite everything, she wants you.”

“I’ll take that under advisement,” Hancock said, rising to his feet. "Thanks for the chat, Nick. Anything else?" 

Nick looked up at Hancock, an expression on his face that was nothing like what the affable detective had been wearing before. "Well, look at who survived…” he sneered, sounding just like Kellogg. “Looks like I should’ve tried harder to get rid of you, huh? Hope the girl got what she was looking for inside my head- I knew I should've killed her when she was on ice.” 

Hancock jumped back, an expression of abject terror on his face. “_What the fuck?_” 

Nick’s face refocused- he looked like himself again. “What?"

“_YOU!_” Hancock roared. “After what you did to me and Grace, you try to squat in my friend? _I’ll fucking kill you!”_ Hancock was livid. The man in the nearby lounger shifted at the sound of Hancock’s voice, but he didn’t care- Nick had scared the shit out of him.

“John, calm down! What are you talking about?” Nick looked genuinely confused and tried to reach for the ghoul, who recoiled in horror. 

Hancock paused when he saw the hurt expression flash across the synth’s face. “Nick?" He asked tentatively. "You sounded like Kellogg just then,” he said. “It was freaky as hell. You alright?"

Nick looked shocked. "I did? Amari said there might be some "mnemonic impressions" left over… I think that may have been one.”

“You think!” Hancock was relieved, but he was certainly still pissed. “What if that had happened with Grace?” 

_ _

* * *

At that moment, Grace and Mac came running out of the lab. “What is going on here?” she asked, looking from Hancock to the detective. “Is everything alright?”

Hancock grabbed her hand and started leading her from the office. “Everything’s fine, Sunshine- let’s get you some sleep so we can start planning how we can tackle this tomorrow.” He turned to the kid. “Hey, take Nick back to see the Doc, ok? Make sure he gets a full workup overnight. You guys can meet us at our house in the morning, ok?” 

Mac nodded, obviously confused but too smart to question it. “Nick, you good with that?” 

The detective sighed. He wanted to argue, but the mayor was right- if that had happened while he and the girl were chatting, she'd never want to be around him again- which would never do. Grace was like the daughter he and Jen should've had, looked to him for comfort like he wished their kid would've- he'd never let anything change that. Best to let the doc look him over and make sure nothing serious was left over- they couldn't afford any more surprise visits out there. 

The old man couldn't bear to lose his family again, either. 

So, even though he wanted to make sure Grace chatted with John and got this tension cleared up, he just nodded at the merc and quietly followed the kid back into the lab. Behind them, Grace and Hancock left the Memory Den. 

"Let him in, Grace," he murmured. "No matter what you think, you deserve to be happy." 

_ _

* * *

I was exhausted and drained by the time we got to the statehouse. After all that chaos, all I wanted was a drink and a bed, but since I wasn't getting a drink, the bed would have to do. I barely noticed as John led me to his room, and I quickly stripped out of my clothes and flopped into the bed with all the grace of a small whale. “Mmmm, bed,” I murmured sleepily. 

He laughed and took off his coat and shirt, sitting next to me on the bed. “Scoot over, Sunshine.”

“Uh uh,” I mumbled. “Too comfy to move- I think I’m now part of the mattress for the rest of my life.” I buried my face deeper in the pillow. "Sorry about it- I've made my decision." 

Hancock chucked. “Is that so?” He moved my braid over and began kissing the back of my neck. “I dunno, you used to think I was pretty comfortable too, now. How come the mattress gets that level of devotion and I don’t?"

When I felt his lips on my neck I almost yielded, but eventually, the mattress won.“No dice. The mattress is squishy.”

He sounded amused and ran his fingers up and down the back of my neck. “Oh, is that what it takes?” 

I nodded into the pillow, refusing to look up and acknowledge his touch. “Can you prove you’re better than this awesome creation right now?” 

"I could, but you would be pretty damn tired in the morning." Hancock rolled me over and draped my arm over his chest. “Personally, I happen to think laying here like this is pretty damn nice.”

“It’ll do,” I said, smirking at him. I readjusted myself to settle in the crook of his arm, and I sighed. “John, can I ask you a favor?”

“Always.” 

I traced my fingers along his chest. “I have to make a trip back to Sanctuary before we handle this Glowing Sea business… I don’t want to bother everyone else with it, but I would really like you to come with me... if you could.” 

He reached for my hand and laced his fingers between mine. “Of course, Sunshine.” 

_ _

* * *

Hancock left Grace sleeping in bed while he went to see MacCready. He knew she wouldn’t wake up while he was gone- she was so exhausted after traveling and the ordeal with the memories that she passed out as soon as they finished talking- but he wrote a note, just in case. Slowly, he made his way to the Third Rail through his secret entrance and found the kid sitting at the bar, nursing a drink. After the day they’d had, Hancock was inclined to have a whole bottle- he settled for a double instead.

“How’s Nick?” Hancock asked the mercenary as he sat down. “Doc find anything?” 

The kid shook his head. “Not a thing- said he was perfectly fine. No traces of murder brain.” He smiled at the mayor, who did not return it. “Something wrong?” 

Hancock stared into his drink, wondering if the kid was in the dark or pumping him for information. He decided he didn’t care- the result would be the same anyway. “Nick had a residual whatchamacallit when I was talking to him." Hancock shuddered. "Freaked me the fuck out.” 

Mac whistled and sipped his drink. “That’s pretty sh- screwed up. What if he’d done that with the Princess?” MacCready shook his head in exasperation. “She’d lose her mind after what happened today.” 

“Tell me about it.” Hancock sighed and grabbed a Mentat. He normally wouldn’t pop one at this time of night, but he needed to make sure he got the information straight before he made any decisions. “So, did he tell you anything?” 

Mac shook his head. “Nah, he said he’d wait to talk to us together.”

“Think he’s awake?” 

The kid shrugged. “The better question would be if the doc would let us in at this time of night.” 

Hancock finished his drink, setting the glass on the counter. “Guess that’s one of the perks of being mayor, huh?"

—

Amari was not pleased with the late-night visit, mayor-sanctioned or not. She opened the door with a huff and reluctantly let the mayor and MacCready inside, muttering something about ungrateful degenerates as she stomped off. Undaunted, the duo went to the lab and found Nick relaxing in a lounger, connected to a nearby terminal.

The detective turned when they walked in, surprised to see them at this time of night. “John... something wrong?” 

Hancock shook his head. “No more than usual. Couldn’t sleep after all this crap today. I wanted to know what the hell that bastard was up to- figured you’d have a clue.” 

Nick nodded. “Yeah, from the memories, it looks like he was after an institute scientist named Virgil. Thing is, he’s in the Glowing Sea. Been sitting here pondering how we handle that one.” 

Mac looked thoughtful. “Seems easy for you and the mayor, Nick. However, I think me and the Princess should prolly sit this one out. I kinda like having a nose- makes me look rugged and handsome,” he joked. 

Hancock swatted at him. “You’re an asshole, but you’re right- you and Sunshine don’t need to be anywhere near that place. And you should prolly stay here anyway till we get that Gunner situation straightened out. She’s liable to blow up my town if something happened to you.” 

“Glad to know someone loves me... you two can go to hell.” He laughed but got quiet. “That takes care of me, but what about her? You know if you go, she’s gonna try to go... and I ain’t trying to be the one to tell her she can’t.” 

Hancock found himself nodding in agreement and turned to Nick. “Any ideas that won’t have her trying to kill us? I’d also prefer if she didn’t end up looking like me.”

Nick thought about it for a moment. “A radiation suit and a ton of drugs? Maybe if we pump her full of enough Rad-X and Rad-Away, she’ll be ok?”

Hancock frowned. “I ain’t taking chances with her- I ain’t letting her go out on a maybe, Nick.” 

MacCready looked at the other two in the room. “I don’t see a better plan than Nick’s, do you? And anyway, it ain’t your call, Mayor. You know as well as I do she’s gonna do what she wants to do- best we can do is make a plan around it.” 

Hancock sighed and put his head in his hands- the kid was right. “True. At least she wants to handle something in Sanctuary before we start on this goose chase.” 

Nick nodded. “She trying to leave in the morning?”

“Yeah.” Hancock paused for a second, debating how much he should tell the two. “She’s got somethin’ she wants to do over there, but…”

Mac finished it for him, reclining in an unoccupied lounger. “But the princess wants it to just be you and her, right?” Hancock didn’t respond right away and the kid laughed. “Hey, no worries- she wants to talk to you or kill you, Mayor… with her, it could be either one.”

Nick chuckled and rested a hand on John’s shoulder- this time the ghoul didn’t flinch. “Kid’s got a point. Gracie’s got a lot on her mind after that trip in there.” 

“What the hell happened to her in there?” Mac asked. “I’ve seen ol’ Kent go into the chairs, but I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

“Well-“ Nick hesitated, unsure of how much to share with the others- it was Grace’s business after all. However, he also recognized that she was more closed off than most and probably would never tell anyone what happened in there. He’d have to split the difference- they could get the gist, just not the details. 

“It’s probably for the best John be the only one to go,” he said thoughtfully. “She’s got a lot to process after that trip in there- sounds like she might need some closure. It’s as if she wants to move on, but she’s not sure if she can yet.” 

“I know the feeling,” Mac said softly. 

The detective looked directly at Hancock, hoping the boy would catch a clue. “I think she’s scared you won’t want to be around when you find out some things." He sighed, trying to figure out the best way to say it, but eventually, he just went with the truth. "She doesn’t think she deserves to be happy, John.”

Hancock was silent throughout the entire exchange. _Grace didn't deserve him_? He’d argued it was the other way around, that he should have never been lucky enough to have her- what was she holding onto to make her think like that? 

MacCready looked at Hancock, for once not joking around. “Mayor, I got a question for you.” 

Hancock sighed- he knew what the kid was going to ask. “The answer is yes, kid- I meant what I said in there.” 

“Good.” The kid grinned, playful gleam returning to his eyes. "She’s good people. Crazy as all heck, yeah… but good people.”

Hancock returned the smile. “Yeah, but she’s my kind of crazy.” He popped another Mental and turned to the detective. “Fuck... I think we have to go to Diamond City after this.” 

Mac looked shocked. “What, you get your brain scrambled back there too, Mayor? Did I just hear you say you’re willingly going to go to Diamond City?" 

Hancock frowned, realizing that once again, he’d have to go back to his brother’s town. "I’m quite sure that Sanctuary ain’t gonna have the same kinda goods ol’ Myrna will, and Doctor Sun should have all the radiation supplies we need.” 

The kid just looked at him. “And has no one thought about talking to Daisy and seeing what she can scrounge up?” He glared at the others. “Why is it no one besides me ever thinks of the simplest solution?” 

“Because you’re lazy,” chided Hancock.

“Kid’s got a point though… see if Daisy has a suit and clean out her radiation supplies.” Nick thought about it and looked at Hancock. "Heck, I think even Amari might have some around here somewhere. No sense in backtracking if you don't have to.”

Mac laughed. “And look at it this way, you and your girl get to have a nice, irradiated vacation… all alone.”

Trying to rest his nerves after taking too many mentats, Hancock took a hit of Jet. “Gonna be a long time before we run into each other again… surprised to say I might actually miss the company.” He looked at the detective. “Can you keep an eye on the kid till we get back? Maybe take him to Diamond City with you?”

Mac shook his head. “I ain’t bringing Gunner trouble to Nick’s doorstep. Plus, between Fahr and KL-E-O, we’ve got enough firepower here to stop an army. I’ll take my chances here." 

“I guess that settles that, then.” Nick looked back and forth between the two, realizing this was the last night he’d spend with them for a while. It was strange- after being on the road together for so long, it would be strange not traveling with them. Then again, he had a life in Diamond City, one he knew he needed to get back to, and Hancock and Grace had some things they needed to handle on their own- the trip would be good for the two of them… if it didn’t kill them first. "I’ll rustle up what I can from Daisy and Amari and drop it off to you in the morning.”

Hancock put his hands in his pockets. “Sounds like a plan.”

They all stood around, no one wanting to break away just yet- the truth of Hancock’s statement washing over them- this would be the last time they saw each other for a long while. It would be like it was before Grace showed up, which would have been fine with them before- previously they were all fine with being alone, only getting together when there was a need for it. 

But thanks to the oblivious girl fast asleep in the statehouse, the state of things was changing, and the three men were pretty sure they didn’t want things to go back to how used to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crow, this story is almost half over (I'm currently editing Ch. 17 and working on Ch. 19) and we have over 200 hits! I am amazed and thankful for everyone stopping by and peeping in on the journey of this ragtag crew of misfits- you make my old shriveled heart grow two sizes with each comment and kudos you leave... It means a lot to know that people actually are being entertained by this story :) 
> 
> I'm thinking that there are some stories that I'm missing and need to be told, so there's probably going to be a companion piece to this to tell all the in-between stories. I can't wait to start that, but right now I'm trying to be less ADHD and tell the friggin' main one!


	17. Will the real Grace please stand up?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace offers answers to Hancock’s questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, we've been pretty close to canon so far, but this (by the way, it's the longest chapter yet, so be prepared to settle in) is where things are going to twist a bit more. I think it's fun, but FYI just in case you're like "NOOO don't screw with my commonwealth!"

_ _

* * *

Fahr and Mac were watching us from the gates of Goodneighbor as we prepared to leave, with the redhead looking only slightly less murderous than usual. Mac was keeping watch at the gate, rifle hoisted over his shoulder. I’d wanted to say goodbye to Nick, but I’d overslept- the detective had left early for Diamond City after dropping something off for Hancock, so I’d missed my chance. But, the show had to go on, and the morning sun beat down on us as we prepared to leave. "You ready?” Hancock asked.

Swinging my loaded pack onto my back, I tossed my braid over my shoulder. I noticed it was longer, a little scragglier, but that just meant that this trip to Sanctuary was different from the first time I traversed the commonwealth. This time, I was older, wiser, and even somewhat prepared, so that was a plus. Also, I now had friends, a plan...

_And perhaps a home to come back to. _

“Ready.” I turned to look at the man in the red frock at my right and I grinned. “Thanks for coming with me- I know it’s a slog.” 

Hancock shrugged, his face neutral. “No worries.” He twiddled with a knife, deftly flitting the blade between his fingers. "Hey, that’s what partners are for, right?” 

I put my hands on my hips. “Ok, that’s it- out with it. What’s wrong with you?"

“What makes you say that?” Hancock was so startled that he dropped the knife, almost slicing his finger.

“Seriously?" I stared at him, mouth agape. "You’re in chats with Nick and Mac, but you won't talk to me about what’s going on. You’re up and out of the bed with barely a word to me, but yet you’re here on a super fucking long trip that doesn’t have anything to do with you.” I blew away a loose curl, only to have it flop back into my face. “So, what is it? Are you mad at me or something?” 

He smiled thoughtfully and walked over to me, pushing the stray hair from my face and planting a kiss on my forehead. "Just been making plans and checking things is all- someone’s gotta be the adult around here.” He smiled, "Trust me, Sunshine, leaving is the furthest thing from my mind” He looked out into the distance, squaring his shoulders. “We should get going- Sanctuary is a long way away from here.” 

“Hopefully it shouldn’t be as far away with someone who knows how to read a map… or follow directions,” I said dryly. “That first trip was a killer... literally.”

He laughed. “Can’t say it wasn’t worth it, though,” he said, pulling me close and kissing my cheek. We still had an audience- Fahr glared at us from her perch and Mac whooped. I blushed, but Hancock grinned and happily waved at the two spies. "Admit it," he called out. "You're gonna miss this when we're gone!" In response, Fahr stomped off and MacCready waved goodbye, running after the redhead.

Enjoying the feel of both the sun and him on my face, I relaxed a little at the exchange. “I’m glad you’re here, John.”

“Ain’t nowhere else I’d rather be than with you, Sunshine.” Thankfully, he picked up the knife and put it away, alleviating my fears of him accidentally removing a body part. 

"Let’s get this show on the road,” I said. “We’ve got a lot of miles to cover."

—

After a few long, silent hours on the road of both of us wrapped up in our thoughts with nothing but Diamond City radio for company, I finally broke the silence. “John?”

He paused and looked over at me. “Yeah?”

“Can I talk to you?” I twiddled my fingers nervously in my palm. 

“Always.” He sat down against a nearby tree and invited me to join him, taking a hit of Jet. “Perfect time to have lunch, anyway.” He patted the spot next to him, and I sat down. “What’s on your mind?” Hancock slipped an arm around my shoulders. “Ain’t like you to be so quiet, Sunshine.”

As usual, he was right. “Sorry, I’ve been stuck in my head for a bit." I played with a rock that had immediately commanded my attention. "Well, I guess I’ve just been thinking about a lot of things.” 

“Seems pretty serious to take up that much brain space,” Hancock said gently, prying the rock out of my hands to get me to stop fidgeting. “Whatcha thinkin' about?” 

“Well,” I fidgeted a little more, trying to find out a way to start that wouldn’t sound presumptuous. “I’ve been thinking about what happened back there in the doc’s office.”

His tone was flat and unassuming. “A lot happened back there. You almost died, for starters. Pretty big deal, if you ask me.”

“Yeah, well… I never thanked you for saving me.” Since the rock had been stolen, I looked down and played with the hem of my shirt that had become equally as fascinating. “I wouldn’t have made it out of there without you, John." 

He looked up and I could feel him relax a little. “All I did was tell the truth.”

I stroked the hand that was resting on my arm, feeling hope in my heart and trying desperately to extinguish it, just in case. "You meant it?” 

He tilted my head to look me in my eye. “Every word, Sunshine.” His dark eyes searched my face and I stared back, looking for any trace of deception and finding none. “I want to do this with you for real, Sunshine. No games, no tricks. Just you and me.” 

“But you don’t know me, John. And when you do, I’m not sure you’re going to feel the same way.” I said sadly. 

“Then let me get to know you. We got a lot of miles to cover and plenty of time to chat. Seems like we got a lot to say- we’ve been pocketing for a while now, might run out of room soon,” he said, smiling.

He kissed me and I felt myself melt under his lips. I felt like I was dreaming- Hancock was offering me exactly what I wanted- all I had to do was accept it. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it… not without him knowing what he was getting into- I didn’t want him to blame me later for holding out on him._ If we were going to do this, we’d do it right or not at all._

_You know he’s going to lose his mind, right? He’s going to leave you right where you are, and you’re going to be stuck all on your own. Are you prepared for that? _

“I have a lot to tell you, John,” I said, finally pushing past the voices in my head. “And I don’t know what you’re going to do when I tell you all of it. So, here’s the deal- I’ll tell you the story while we go to Sanctuary, and if you want to leave at any point along the way, I get it- no hard feelings. I can’t have you going into this blind, John.”

I paused, searching his face to see how he was handling this. "If you still want to be around at the end of all this, then it’s you and me- no strings or reservations. However,” I warned, “if you’re not in it for the long haul, we shouldn’t even start this conversation.” I took a deep breath, trying to stop my stomach from twisting into knots. “There’s more at stake for me with this than you know.” 

To his credit, he didn’t say anything right away- he just sat next to the tree and stared off into the distance. I tried to gauge his emotions, but he was unreadable. Silently, he reached into the pack, and pulled out some water and brahmin sandwiches, and handed one of each to me. “Eat up,” he said. 

Wordlessly, I took the food, trying my hardest not to feel disappointed, but in my heart, I knew there was nothing I could do since it was his decision. "Thanks," I murmured. 

"Can't be discussing heavy stuff on an empty stomach, right?" He winked at me. “But since we’re talking about stuff that might be crazy, I got something to tell you first.” 

I looked at him over my sandwich. “I highly doubt that there’s anything you can tell me that’s going to be crazier than what I have to say, hon.”

“I certainly hope that’s the case.” He took a sip of water and another hit of Jet, waiting for a minute and exhaling tiny clouds of vapor from his lips. He rested his palms on his thighs, head hanging down and not looking at me. “You know when we fought Kellogg and I got shot?”

My heart sank. “Solid contender for runner up for the worst day ever award? Yeah, I remember.” I grabbed my sandwich and started chewing. “What about it?”

“Well, I got something to tell you about that, Grace.” He swallowed apprehensively, hands balling up into fists. “I don’t know how to say this-”

“Spit it out, John.”

“I died that day, Grace. That bastard killed me..." His voice cracked and his head lifted, eyes tilted to the sky. “Sunshine, you were the last thing I saw before everything went out.”

I shook my head at him. “No, John, that didn’t happen. You got shot, yeah, but you just passed out. I did see you go down, but you certainly didn’t die-“ Hancock held up a hand to stop me and I paused.

He continued, closing his eyes. “When I woke up, I was with a girl-” Unbidden, my face twisted with alarm and he laughed. “No, silly, not like that. I was bleeding everywhere and she gave me a stimpak to fix the hole in my chest. She talked funny and didn’t make much sense, but, she saved me- sent me back to you on the condition I give you a message. She told me you wouldn’t want to hear it- said it might break you, and you know I ain’t never tryin’ to hurt you." He took a deep breath and looked at me. "I feel like it’s my fault you got all twisted up back there… you know, cause I didn’t keep my end of the deal. The longer I put it off, the more I get the feeling that if I don’t tell you, something really bad is gonna happen.” 

I tried to play it off, hoping to alleviate some of his concerns. “Don’t think it could get much worse than that if it makes you feel any better. Being trapped inside a nightmare hellscape tends to put things into perspective for a person.”

“I ain’t willing’ to take that risk with you.” He dropped his head, avoiding my gaze. “I ain’t never trying to hurt you, Grace, but I feel like I’m going insane over here, Sunshine. What do you want me to do?” 

“Gimme the message,” I said, trying to soothe him. “Sounds like you need to get it out- otherwise you wouldn’t have mentioned it at all.” 

Hancock hesitated before responding. “She told me to tell you hi.” 

A funny feeling started to creep across the edges of my consciousness. “That's... oddly friendly, John. Sounds like I’m missing something. Can you tell me more about her- everything you can remember.” When he didn’t respond, I cupped his face in my hands. ”Please, John- this seems like it's important.”

He was reluctant to speak, but finally, he did. “Honestly, I thought she was you at first, but then I noticed stuff. She had straight black hair, she was thinner than you, and she was shorter. But her eyes… they were exactly like yours, Grace.”

My jaw clenched- that funny feeling was now fully entrenched in my gut. “Did she tell you her name?” 

He nodded. “Her name was Samantha - that much I remember.”

“Of course it was.” I clenched my fists into balls and held them at my sides, bowing my head. “On the bright side, that makes some of this story a little easier. Makes the rest a fuckton harder, but we’ve gotten that out of the way, at least."

Hancock looked puzzled. “I thought I was the one who was supposed to not be making sense here. What are you going on about?” 

“Samantha is my little sister, John,” I whispered. 

_ _

* * *

Hancock was pretty sure Grace had lost her mind. He’d convinced himself it was a dream- Hancock only told her about the experience out of obligation. He didn’t expect her to take it seriously, let alone confirm it. How could he possibly dream about a woman he had never met? The woman he saw couldn’t be her sister... could it? That would be bonkers. 

_They did look alike..._

Hancock tried to refocus, but it was impossible- it felt like the world was spinning. He looked at the spent Jet canister and wondered if he had finally gotten his hands on a bad batch.

Grace hadn’t said a word during all this and he was worried- she just sat on the ground, silently staring up at the sky. “Sunshine, talk to me,” he said, kissing her neck. She blinked, startled into paying attention. “Can you tell me what’s going on?” 

She laughed, but there was no humor in it. “A fucking lot, but hey- what else is new.” She played with a pebble near her leg, tossing it over and over between her slim fingers. “Well, at least my family is alive- let's put that in the win column. So much for the end of the world preventing an awkward meeting with the folks.”

“You’re not making sense, Grace,” he said. However, as soon as the words left his lips, he knew it was a lie. For once, she _was_ making sense. He had often thought it was grief or hope making her refer to her family as if they were still around, but maybe, she somehow knew they were fine all along. 

_So many questions..._

When she spoke again, her voice was weary. “If we start talking about this here, we’re never going to get to Sanctuary.” She stood up and offered him a hand. “Are you still coming? I understand if you don’t want to, though.” 

“Gonna take more than that to kick me to the curb, Sunshine.” He accepted her assistance and rose to his feet- Hancock wasn’t going anywhere, not even with the crazy she was tossing at him. “We’re partners, remember?” He pulled her close and gave her a kiss that he hoped would show Grace that he was here to stay, no matter what.

_ _

* * *

We continued walking along in relative silence, working to process the events of the morning. Hancock was trying to wrap his head around what I told him and was most likely working overtime to convince himself it was nothing more than a prophetic dream. My heart hurt at having to disabuse him of that hope, but I knew that he wouldn’t be able to continue with me if he didn’t understand. Sure, we could be friends- maybe even close ones. But unless he got the full picture, he’d never be more. 

“You know it wasn’t a dream,” I said as I squeezed his hand. “I know it’s hard, but I think you should know that you aren’t crazy.” 

“Somehow I figured I wasn’t going to be that lucky,” he said wearily. “So, since we got the time- why don’t you tell me the story? How the heck does all this fit in?”

I thought about it for a moment, trying to figure out where to start. “Well, as you can tell, my sister has certain gifts. So does my mom.” Hancock eyed me warily, and I laughed. “I should probably let you know that I’m the normal one in my family. Nothing special about me at all- I get my normal people problems from my dad,” I joked. “I told you she was going to be the one to save the world... you just got first-hand knowledge as to why.”

“I dunno, Sunshine… you’re plenty special to me.” Hancock said, smiling and kissing my hand. “Personally, your sister freaks me out a little- you’re much more my speed.”

“That’s good to know,” I said, laughing. 

“So, your family is a bit... different." I scoffed, and he laughed. "That can’t be all that's been bugging you. Hell, I’ll even let you in on a secret,” he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Your man is a ghoul.” 

His voice sent shivers down my spine and made my insides tingle from top to bottom- involuntarily, I let out a soft gasp. “You don’t say?” I tried to speak but I could barely catch my breath with him in my ear. “And you’re my man, huh?”

“Yep.” His tongue was in my ear, tracing patterns that made my knees weak- I had to close my eyes and stop moving for a minute, but he didn’t quit. “For as long as you want," he said.

“You should probably hold your judgment on that until I tell you more,” I admonished softly, trying to get my body to stop vibrating under his touch.

“Then tell me.” 

_Time to see this through, Grace._ I closed my eyes, building up my resolve. “When we get to camp, I’ll do better than that... I’ll show you.”

—

That evening, we set up camp in a nearby park. Once we cleared out the bloatflies and mole rats, the area was quiet and the night was still. Hancock laid out the bedrolls and we stretched out together, staring up at the sky. “I can’t get used to how quiet is out here,” I said, looking up and counting the stars, snuggling into him for warmth. “Thanks for coming with me, John.” 

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for a kiss. “Anytime, Sunshine.”

I smiled. “Let me show you something.” I went into my backpack and pulled out the small parcel with the cracked glass on the back. “What do you think this is?” I asked, handing it to him. 

He turned it over and over, running his fingers along the cracks. “I saw this when you came to Goodneighbor. I don’t have a clue what it is, or why you’d have this but not clothes. So, I’m assuming it’s important.” 

“It is.” I took it from him and turned it on. The screen lit up, and my fingers moved across the screen as I talked. Soon, a video of me holding Shaun appeared on the screen and tears began to prickle behind my eyes. “This was me and Shaun… from when I brought him home from the hospital. This is all I have left of my family now… that’s why this device was so important.” 

Hancock was fascinated. “It’s even better than a holotape,” he said incredulously. “What is it?” 

“A phone. I haven’t been able to call anyone on it since I came to Boston, but it at least lets me see pictures and videos of my family from time to time.” I swiped through and found a photo of me and Sam- we were laughing about something or another, her face smushed next to mine in a wide smile. I handed the phone to him. “Was this who you saw?”

He went pale. “Sure is.” He looked at me sadly, fingers lightly brushing my face on the screen. “Guess it ain’t a dream, huh?” I shook my head and he looked at me thoughtfully. “You don’t have any pictures of you and your old man on there, do you?” 

"Nope- Nate didn’t know any of this. I couldn’t show him that. His head would’ve exploded- he wasn't exactly what you'd call open-minded.“ _Also, I wasn’t looking to remember him, so that might be a factor. _The thought was like a knife in my gut- _Did you care about him at all, Grace__?_

Hancock smiled. “Now I feel special." He paused. "But why show me?” 

I thought about it for a moment, deciding on the right way to say it. “No matter what happens, I want to remember you, John." _Even if you think it's too much, I don't want to forget feeling like this._

He looked puzzled for a moment but smiled, pulling me against him and holding me tightly in his arms. “Let’s take one of those videos,” he said. “How do we do it?”

I set it up and handed the phone to him. “Just touch the red button when you want to start and touch it again when you’re finished. Whatever you see on the screen is what’s gonna record.”

He held me close and extended his arm in the most awkward selfie pose I’d ever seen, and started recording. He wobbled, trying to get both of us in the frame, but when he was satisfied, he turned to me and kissed me, then turned back into the camera. Pausing for a moment, he turned back to me. “Will it record my voice, too?” I nodded, smiling, and he turned back to the camera. “This is amazing,” he said, shaking his head. He cleared his throat before speaking, and I giggled. "Sunshine, I just want you to know that no matter what you tell me, I’m yours. And if you ever forget or doubt it, go watch this and let me tell you again.”

He turned back to me. “How do I stop it?” I laughed and took the phone, ending the recording. When I checked to make sure the video was captured and it began to play, I could feel him staring over my shoulder, enraptured. "Hey," he asked thoughtfully, “How do we take a picture like you and your sister did and have it show up on here?”

“You sound like my great-gramps, you know that?” I said jokingly. “How old are you again?”

“You know damn well I’m younger than I look," Hancock said, nipping at my neck- I squealed and he laughed. 

“If you say so,” I teased. “Here, we do it like this.” I cuddled up to him and took a selfie of us, faces turned towards the stars. 

Hancock stared at the picture of us in amazement. “This is wild…we have cameras, of course, but they ain’t never been like this.” He smirked. “The reporter would shit a brick if she saw this.” I punched him lightly in the arm and he smiled, touching my face on the screen. “Wish I had one of these… it’d be nice to keep a picture of you close to me." Then, his face clouded over for a second. "Kinda wish you had one of these before..." he gestured to himself. "Was a lot better looking back then. This picture prolly ain't one we're gonna be keepin' above the fireplace."

"Really? I'm excited. Not too many girls get to take a picture with the King of the Ghouls. In fact," I said, grabbing the phone and changing the wallpaper from the starry sky to our photo, "I think I want to see it every time I open this up."

He was silent at that- I could see his eyes shining and I blushed. “You don’t know what it means to me to be able to share this with you right now.” I snuggled into his arms and kissed him. “This is the first time I haven’t had to hide this part of me since I’ve been here. Feels nice not to feel alone for once.” 

“I already told you, Sunshine… you ain’t never alone and you ain’t ever gotta hide anything from me.” 

—

The next day, we were walking along the burnt-out road when Hancock paused and turned to me. “I’ve been thinking about something,” he said cautiously. 

_Uh oh._ “What is it?”

“You seem to be avoiding some stuff.” He popped a Mentat and stared off into the distance. “I know about Sam, but I don’t know anything about you from before. Anything you can tell me?”

_Probably best that way- I'm perfectly fine with you not having to deal with all my baggage._ I thought about it for a moment. “Well… you know my mom and Sam have gifts. My mom is…” I chuckled nervously. “Well, put it like this- Sam can only do a fraction of what Mom can do. Me? I’m a first-time kid, so I’m not special,” I said finally. "I drew the short straw because my dad couldn't keep it in his pants." I chuckled. 

Hancock took another Mentat and stared at me. "I don't think I understand what that has to do with anything," he said slowly. "Can you elaborate?"

Inwardly, I groaned- the man was picking at stuff I really would rather leave alone... _Under a rock... At the bottom of the ocean... That’s made of fire._ "Well, to sum it up, my dad was my mom's first love- he was also the asshole that broke her heart. I'm their kid, which isn't the best position to be in. At least I'm alive, which is more than I can say for my aunt- I think Mom pulled a few strings to keep me around. Can't say I'm not grateful, though."

Hancock frowned. "You ain't making sense- I took two Mentats and you still sound like you're talking gibberish."

I cocked my head, trying to see how else I could say what I’d never had to tell another person. "Mom says all women in our family are doomed to have their first love devastate them. As a result, the kids they have with them don’t usually end up with the best luck- I'm living proof of that."

He sighed. "I'm trying here, Sunshine, I really am. But I'm getting the feeling I'm gonna need the whole tin of these if this keeps up."

"Look, this isn't going to be super easy to tell," I said, kicking an empty bottle and watching it clatter down the road. "Short of it- in a family of extraordinary people, I'm normal and I hate it.”

“Why would you be mad about that?" Hancock looked puzzled at my statement. "Normal ain’t bad, Sunshine- I know a lot of ghouls out here that would kill to be normal."

“It’s not like it’s a bad thing, per se. It’s just… I’m just so angry at everyone.” I shrugged helplessly. “My dad could barely even look at me, cause when he does he sees my mom and it breaks his heart. And I want to hate him for it, but I can’t because I understand why- he still loves her and she’s blissfully happy without him, which eats at his heart and makes him bitter. Maybe if I was special, I could’ve saved him, stopped him from almost destroying himself, you know?”

Hancock stopped me, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Sunshine, your dad’s problems ain’t your problems- don’t take them on. That stuff was between him and your mom, not you."

Despite my best efforts, I was getting angry- it had been a long time since I talked about this. Come to think of it, I don't think I'd ever told anyone the full story... ever. Sam knew most of it, of course- I could never hide anything from her, but there were still parts I could never say out loud. “I guess. I think I’m just angry because we didn’t have to even go through all that. Just because he hurt her feelings all those years ago, I shouldn’t have had to suffer because of it! I was left with Dad while Mom went off to save everyone but me. Everyone else got the best of her... except her kid- I got the leftovers.” 

I had to take a minute to compose myself. "But then, maybe Mom knows something I don’t. Hell, I know she does- if I asked her about it, she would probably just say there’s a long term plan at play. Do you know how often I heard that growing up? Everything is part of a plan that I’m never involved in- I just have to go along for the ride and I never get a say in the matter. That’s why Sam said I’d be pissed about this message- it's been like this all my life and I’m tired of them fucking around with my very existence. But I can't change it- I’m just plain ol' Grace, the fuck-up... just like her dad," I said bitterly. 

Hancock hugged me. “Sunshine, you ain't a fuck-up. I think I've cornered the market on that one, trust me."

"Somehow I doubt that, John. There's a pretty big market for fucking up, you know."

He laughed. "True. But whatever you did, you didn't turn yourself into a ghoul chasing a high, so I think I win."

I _had_ to mishear that- I knew he said he wasn't always a ghoul, had hinted at it a few times before, but to hear him say it made the record inside my head scratch. "Huh?"

Hancock looked down and shuffled his feet. "Yeah. After that shit went down in Diamond City, I didn't do so good, you know?" He started walking again, and I followed, listening to the story. "I started looking for any kind of drug I could get my hands on. Don't quite remember how, but I found this experimental drug-" 

"And you just took it?" I was aghast. "John, I swear to Christ if you ever do something so fucking stupid again I'll-"

"Calm down, Sunshine- ain't no more like it." He gave me a wan smile. "Believe me, I looked. That was the best high of my life... Chased it for years afterward."

"Did you know it might turn you into a ghoul?" I asked softly. 

He shrugged noncommittally. "I had an idea. But immortality and a kick-ass high outweighed the downsides," he said with a smile that disappeared when he saw my face. Hancock looked crestfallen. “You hate me for that, don’t you?”

I shook my head. “Nope, not at all. I’m just conflicted- I mean, I get that level of pain, cause that’s some Olympic-level running right there. Hell, that kind of pain is why I’m here in the first place. But I’m so sorry that it got to that point for you... Part of me wishes I could’ve stopped it, but that sounds like I don’t appreciate you how you are and that’s not what I mean at all.” I sighed. “I’m a mess right now... just gimme a minute.”

He walked over and gave me a hug- I laughed. “You shouldn’t be the one comforting me, you know.”

“No one said I was doing it for you,” he said, burying his head in my hair. 

—

We were close to Sanctuary by this point, but I couldn’t continue- by the time night fell, I was ready to drop. Hancock found a building for us to take shelter in, and we settled down for the evening. 

He found a position by the small fire and I stretched out on the bedroll- I missed a bed, but I had long since learned to be thankful I at least had a place to sleep where I wouldn’t be murdered in the night. Exhausted, I started to settle in and close my eyes, but apparently, Hancock was still mulling things over and I couldn't blame him- this trip had been a total mindfuck. “I got a question,” he asked.

“I promised you answers,” I said. “Ask away.” 

He stretched out, placing his coat on my shoulders and I wiggled underneath it to get comfortable and warm- I had happily become his default evening coat rack. “So, what’s the deal with your first loves?” 

“Well, in short- they’re fucked.” I made a strangling gesture beneath the coat. “Great legacy- five out of five, would totally recommend.” 

Hancock chuckled. "But, there’s something I don’t get, Sunshine. By your own admission, you didn't love Nate, which would mean that even if it was true, you didn't have anything to do with that. But you seem to think you’ve already lost your first love. Why?"

I smiled sadly. "Doesn’t have to be a relationship," I said simply. Realization dawned on Hancock's face, and his face fell. "That little boy is the first thing I've loved outside of my family. And because of who I am, he's gone- I did this." I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the thoughts. “I loved him and because I did, I doomed him.”

“But you’re gonna save him, Sunshine. Shit happens- you can’t stop that. But we’re gonna find your boy.” He leaned down and cupped my chin. “Maybe it takes a normie to break the cycle. I think you’re going to be the first to keep your first love and have a second, Sunshine.”

“It would be nice,” I agreed.

—

As the sun was at its apex, we approached the bridge into Sanctuary. It was amazing to see- the town was different from what I remembered. Before, it was a barely functional neighborhood, and now it was an actual town, living up to its namesake. There were traders, crops, and people wandering to and fro wherever I looked- the place looked like people might be able to have a life here. A brahmin lowed nearby, and I grinned. It wasn't my home anymore, but I was proud just the same. I turned to Hancock. “We made it,” I said incredulously. “And you’re still here.” 

He grabbed my hand. “Don’t know why you thought I wouldn’t be- told you, I'm in it for the long haul." He kissed me on the cheek and grinned. "Or trek across the commonwealth, as the case may be."

"That you did," I agreed.

Hand in hand, we approached the gate, only to find Preston standing at the bridge. The minuteman looked the same as when I left him, but yet he seemed more sure, less shell-shocked. In my absence, he had grown into the leader he swore up and down that he couldn't be. He was stationed at the town entrance, training his laser musket on us as we approached. “Halt! State your name and your-“ he paused, squinting at me. After a moment, he recognized me and his face lit up. “General? Is that you?”

Despite the fact he was previously ready to shoot me, I was still happy to see him- I waved cheerfully. “Hey, Preston! Funny thing about directions- actually having them helps." I frowned at him. "Can't believe you didn't tell me Diamond City was Fenway Park, man." The minuteman looked confused and I laughed. "Oh well, it worked out. Can’t complain about the locals,” I said, smirking at Hancock. 

Hancock grinned and kissed me on the cheek. “I certainly ain’t complaining.”

His initial shock passed, Preston had come back to his senses and noticed what was going on. He stared at us and just stood there, open-mouthed. “I’m sorry... is that-“ He gestured to Hancock. “That’s-"

Undaunted, Hancock stepped towards the minuteman. “John Hancock, Mayor of Goodneighbor,” he said affably and extending his hand for a handshake. “So you’re the one who got Sunshine tangled up with the Minutemen, huh? Nice to meet you- Sunshine's been doing some pretty decent stuff for your cause out here.”

Preston was tongue-tied and did not accept the greeting, earning him a scowl from me. “I- I- what are you doing here... _Mayor_?” He practically spat the last word out. 

Hancock kept a smile on his face as he ignored the slight and smoothly took my hand, squeezing it between his fingers and watching carefully as the Minuteman’s eyes grew wide as saucers. “I go where my girl goes, Preston.” 

“That would be the general of the Minutemen you’re addressing, Mayor. Have some respect.” Preston narrowed his eyes, Hancock's meaning not lost on him. _Shit, was Preston anti-ghoul?_ I certainly hoped not. This meeting was going to hell in a handbasket, and we hadn't even entered the town proper yet.

The ghoul gave the minuteman a condescending smile. “But I do… It’s amazing what happens when you travel on the road together as long as we have- you learn so much about each other.” He paused, grinning wickedly. “Hey Boy Scout, why didn’t you come along with her again?" He mockingly putting his finger to his lips in thought, then shrugged and wrapped his arm around me. “No matter- I’d say it worked out,” he said, winking and cupping my face and kissing me in a way that was not exactly appropriate for public viewing- the resulting look on Preston’s face was apoplectic. 

I rolled my eyes- Preston was annoying, sure, but Hancock didn’t have to egg him on, either. If I didn’t stop this, it was most likely going to end with someone getting shot or stabbed. 

Sighing, I placed my hands on their shoulders. “Ok boys, dick-waving time is over.” Preston looked appalled at the accusation, but Hancock just grinned- the bastard knew exactly what he was doing. “I just came back to handle something up in the vault and check on things here.” I turned to the Minuteman, smiling. “We found a lead on my kid, Preston.”

To his credit, Preston simply nodded. “Happy to have you back, General. Glad you found what you’re looking for.” 

Hancock had turned away, fiddling with his knife again._ Yeah, that's not intimidating at all, hon._ “No thanks to you...” he muttered under his breath. 

Preston didn’t say anything- he just closed his mouth and flared his nostrils. Then he saw Hancock grinning like the cat who’d caught the canary and the minuteman promptly lost his shit. “General, I need a word with you. Official Minutemen business- let’s go.” He glared at the ghoul and tried to grab me by my arm to lead me away.

Instinctively, I jerked back- Hancock looked livid. “Boy Scout, I think you better reconsider where you put that hand in the future if you wanna keep it,” Hancock said with that same mild tone that usually meant shit was about to go sideways, fast. “Sunshine’s not looking so pleased about you grabbing on her, and truth be told, I ain’t too happy with it, either.”

Preston huffed. “I’ll have you know your opinion outside of Goodneighbor isn’t as welcome as you might want to believe- had I known she was going to fall in with you, I would have never let her out of my sight in the first place. And last I checked, I was talking to the General, not you... ” He tried to reach for me again. “Now excuse us-“

I moved closer to Hancock and shot him a look before the ghoul could pull out his knife- I could handle this. “Preston... don’t you ever put your hands on me again, are we clear?” I glared at the Minuteman, who was now staring at me, agape. “I don’t know who you’re used to dealing with, but I’m not the one. If you want me to do something, you ask me.” I was trying super hard to not raise my voice and alert the whole town. “Understand?” 

“Yes, General.” He narrowed his eyes at Hancock again. “So, may I speak to you, please? In private?” 

I sighed wearily. “Sure, Preston.” 

Now it was Hancock’s turn to pout. “Sunshine-“

I waved a finger in his face. “Don’t you ’Sunshine’ me, John,” I said, kissing him on the cheek. “You know what you did… Go have a seat at the bar-“

This innocent phrase mollified Hancock, and he looked around. “Wait, there’s a bar?”

“There looks to be a sign over there that says ‘bar’, so I am assuming that’s what it is. Now go… I’ll be okay.” 

“Fine, I’ll wait for you... at the _bar_,” he said, hip-checking me as he walked past. I laughed. “You need anything, just shout." He gave me a kiss and tipped his hat to Preston. "Be nice to my girl, Boy Scout,” he said, slowly sauntering off. 

_ _

* * *

Hancock wandered towards the bar, keeping an eye on Grace and the minuteman as they chatted. He was about ten seconds from carving a hole in the Boy Scout, but Grace had handled it just fine. Even so, he decided he should keep an eye on him… just in case. 

Drink in hand, he sat outside and observed the two of them until he heard someone approaching him from behind. “I feel like I have a message for you, but the Sight’s been acting up. Got some Jet, boy?” 

Hancock turned to see an old woman staring at him with a knowing look. He wasn’t in the habit of giving away free chems, but he wanted the woman to leave him alone so he could get back to doing what he was doing. “Uh, yeah, sure. Take it.” He tossed her a canister and turned his attention back to Grace and Preston.

He heard the hiss of the canister, and the old woman sighed. “Much better… thanks kindly.” He waved her off, not paying the woman any mind as he tried to listen to the conversation happening by the bridge. Luckily, no one was shouting yet, so he knew Grace was ok- silence was not her strong suit on a good day, so he knew if she was angry, things were going to get very loud, fast. 

The old woman paused for a minute, inhaling the Jet vapors. After a second, she tapped Hancock on the shoulder. “What?” he asked, visibly annoyed.

“So... you’re her second, huh? The one who went to the land between and came back?” 

_That_ got his attention. “Excuse me?” The two on the bridge were forgotten- Hancock was now completely focused on the old woman. “Who are you?” 

“You can call me Mama Murphy, kid.” She smiled at him. “Thanks for the Jet- the vision wasn’t quite clear enough without it.”

Hancock was confused, but after the last few days, he couldn’t dispute the old woman. “Why would you call me her second?” 

She sat on the bench next to the ghoul. "Whenever I look for her, I see you by her side. The Sight ain’t often wrong, and it’s telling me you and that one got a lot more to do.” She looked down at Grace, concern etched on her face. “She’s hurtin’ somethin’ bad. Got stuck in the between, just like you. Couldn’t get out, but you helped her find her way.” She looked at Hancock and smiled. “Now she’s realizing you’re the second, and it scares her. She’s gotta choose- either run or stay. Not clear which way she’s gonna go just yet.” 

Against his better judgment, Hancock decided to engage with the old woman. “What, would another hit make it clear?”

The old woman laughed. “I wouldn’t turn it down, but what you’re askin’ ain’t been written yet. Can’t see what ain’t there- I ain’t like her people.” Hancock stared at her incredulously and the old woman laughed again. “Oh yeah, I know all about ‘em. The Sight is strong in her family- she just ain’t got it. Only one in the line that’s blind. It makes her angry, but it also makes her strong. Stronger than she knows.”

_Fuck it- let’s roll with it and see where this goes,_ Hancock thought. “Was it always supposed to be this way? Is that why I feel the way I do?” 

Mama Murphy laughed so hard she started to wheeze. “That’s because of choices, boy, nothing more. What if you hadn’t come out with her? What if Preston had helped her find Diamond City first?” Hancock frowned at the thought of Grace and Preston traveling together and the old woman gave a deep exhale, stray vapors emerging from her lips. “The sight shows us paths- it doesn’t make you do anything you weren’t already planning to do. Like now, it's giving me a vision.”

“What is it?” Hancock popped a Mentat, enraptured in spite of himself.

"I see you hunting something, only what you're hunting ain't an animal or a man. It's something different. Maybe something more than human." Her face squished with concentration. "But... what's this? I see you crouching, hiding, scared for you and her. But then, you say something- it's hard to make out." Hancock reached out to her, and she waved him off. "You say 'Z2-47, initialize factory reset. Authorization code Zeta-5-3-Kilo'. Then your prey falls still as a statue, harmless." 

Hancock thought about it for a moment. “You see a lot, Mama Murphy. Too bad that last part don’t make a lick of sense though.”

“Guess the sight thought you needed to know it- give it time… things always get clearer later on. Hell- I’m old. I ain't got nothing but time to be nosy and you got a helluva lot more time than me to figure things out.” They both laughed and watched the two arguing down the way. “She doesn’t see how people are changing,” the old woman said softly. "She thinks she ain't special, but she is- she came for a reason.”

“That she is.” Hancock turned to the old woman and raised an eyebrow. “She gonna get crazy powers like you all?”

She shook her head. “Like I said, that one is blind as a bat, but it don’t make her any less fierce.” The old woman poked him in the shoulder. “It’s your job to help her, make her understand it’s ok to put down roots. She’s tired- she’s been runnin’ for a long time, just like you…” Mama Murphy fixed Hancock with a hard stare. “Time to stop running, McDonough.”

Hancock swallowed, unsettled by the old woman using the name he thought long dead. “I ain’t runnin’ from her. Never have, never will.”

—

It was quiet in the woods- almost everything in this area had moved on or was long since dead. Hancock trailed behind Grace as they approached the vault, no other sounds save their footsteps crunching on fallen leaves and their breathing. She hadn’t spoken since they left the town, and her face was etched with sorrow- she hadn’t said why she wanted to come, but it was part of the journey and he knew he was going with her no matter what, so the reason didn’t matter. After the amount of crazy they had experienced on the way over, whatever they were doing now was most likely a drop in the bucket. 

An animal scuttled across their path, and he heard her breath hitch in her throat. Instinctively, he put an arm around her shoulder- it was so natural that he didn’t even think about it and she didn’t even comment on it anymore. He smirked to himself at the thought- the Boy Scout had tried something similar and she had almost bit his head off. If he didn’t know better, he’d say her touches were for him alone, but he wasn’t stupid- she was a touchy-feely person by nature. The Minuteman just hadn’t earned the right to enter her space- he wasn’t one of them.

_One of them._ Hancock thought about it for a moment, and the more he did, the more he realized the statement was true. It was strange- they had all known of each other before Grace, but never had any real cause to interact with each other.... now, they were friends. Hell, if he wanted to be honest with himself, Nick and MacCready were just as much family as Fahr and Grace were. He still wasn’t a fan of the reporter- she was too high and mighty for his tastes, but he could tolerate her. He had a feeling if he met her before he met Grace, he may have shot her on sight just to put the Commonwealth out of its misery, so merely wanting to throttle her at times was an improvement- he might actually waste a bullet if something attacked the reporter now. His girl had done the impossible- she’d gathered a collection of misfits and brought them all together by the sheer force of her will alone.

_That’s my girl,_ he thought with a grin. The thought made him warm inside- _his girl_. He realized Mama Murphy was right- he was hers ever since the moment she wrapped that hand around his in the bar that night- as much as he’d tried to shake the feeling, it had never gone away. She’d brought him on this trip to tell him a story she’d never told another soul, and he hadn’t flinched. In spite of all the crazy things she had told him (and showed him) over the last few days, he had never wanted her more- her stories only served to show that she was a ball of pain wrapped up in a bright, shiny package. Though her skin was smooth, she was covered in just as many scars as he was- the only difference was that hers were on the inside and only on display for him. With every step bringing them closer to their destination, Hancock began to realize that the old woman was right. Theirs was a journey of choices, and this was the final leg of the tour- it was now up to Grace to choose which way they went.

They reached the entrance to the vault and Grace turned to him. There was none of the mirth and humor that she usually had on display- instead, she looked so small that his heart almost broke for her. Her eyes were full of sadness, her braid was flying around in the breeze, and she was biting her lip, which Hancock recognized as her trying to find a way to say something she didn’t think he’d like. He brushed away one of the renegade curls she could never seem to keep out of her eyes. Once, Hancock had tried pulling her hair back with one of her bobby pins, but she had promptly taken the pin out of her hair to pick a lock- he gave up after that, preferring to touch her whenever the opportunity arose. “Out with it, Sunshine. What’s on your mind?

“This is where I woke up, John. Where everything started.” She looked down at her feet. “I’ve got something I need to do in there, and I know I need to do it alone, but I don’t know if I can.” She looked up at him. “Does that make me a coward?” 

“Nope… makes you human.” He went to her side, wrapping his hands around her waist. “Whatever it is, I’m here. Partners, Sunshine- I gotcha… no matter what you need.” 

Her lip began to tremble. “John, I can’t ask you to go in there with me. I… I… I have to talk to Nate,” she said. “I’ve got to say goodbye.”

He pulled her in for a hug, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll walk you in and wait nearby. After that show in the Memory Den, I ain’t leaving you alone in there.” 

“You don’t know the half of it,” she muttered. 

“I will when you tell me,” Hancock said. He knew something had gone on- Nick had said there was a memory glitch, and Mama Murphy had all but confirmed that something happened to her. Grace hadn’t told him about it, but he knew that she’d tell him if he asked now- after this trip, there wasn’t much left unsaid between them. He realized it was a great feeling to know that she trusted him as much as he trusted her, but now wasn’t the time to ask- he knew that the memory wasn’t meant for him. If she wanted him to know, she’d tell him. “But that don’t matter right now. You go in there and do what you need to- I’m right behind you no matter what."

She grabbed his hand, and he could feel how nervous she was- her palms were sweaty despite the chill in the air, and she was shaking. “Okay,” she said, voice trembling as she led him deep into the vault. 

_ _

* * *

When I stopped in front of the glass, my heart stopped as well. Nate was there, silent, right in the tube where I left him- if it weren’t for the little hole in his head, I would have thought he was sleeping. When I saw him, I felt a sob well up in my throat- his form was still and his face was slack, devoid of all emotion.

Just as the grief seemed like it was about to crush me, I felt Hancock lightly pressing on my shoulder. “Do what you have to, Sunshine. I’ll be right down there if you need me.” I hugged him and nodded- Hancock simply inclined his head at me in acknowledgment and left me to my grief, walking down the hall. 

“Hey, Nate,” I said, trying to figure out where to start. “Long time no see.” As soon as the words left my lips, I felt terrible- Nate didn’t deserve me being flippant- he deserved the truth. If I couldn’t give it to him in life, I could at least give that to him in death. “Well, you already know I’m an asshole, at least, so that’s one less thing I have to share, right?” 

I bit my lip so hard I drew blood, the salty taste filling my mouth and making me wince. “Okay... I’m saying goodbye today, Nate.” I paused for a moment, trying to figure out the right words. “I’m sorry we didn’t work. You weren't the best person, but you weren't the worst, either. I wish we could've been the family you wanted- I knew we wouldn’t be, but you have to know I tried anyway.” I leaned my head on the glass, feeling everything but not having any words. “This sucks- how do you say goodbye to someone who shouldn’t be gone? This was your life, but I’m here and you aren’t? This isn’t even remotely fair and I’m so sorry, Nate. If I could’ve changed it, I would have... I hope you believe me." 

Hoping to compose myself, I took a deep breath. “Part of the reason I’m here is to say thanks. Without you, I wouldn’t be here right now, even if I don’t deserve to be. Thank you for being a great dad, for being a friend, and for trying to do right by me. I’m just sorry I denied you the chance to be happy… If I had been woman enough to just accept my fate alone and let you off the hook, you may have had a shot at being truly happy. That’s on me- you deserved someone who loved you… I just wish it could’ve been me, cause you married into a fucked-up family,” I said, chuckling to myself. “Kinda glad you didn’t know it, though.” I smiled. “But I can promise you one thing- I’m going to find out about our boy. I won’t stop looking for him. You've earned that much- you deserve to know that a part of you lives on out here. It wasn't fair, but now I can accept that I wasn't responsible for what happened to you- I have to stop carrying this with me or I’m going to break. I need everything I have to find our kid, and while I can’t change what happened to you, I can save our boy. I’ve got to let you go, Nate.”

I raised my palm to the glass, tears streaming down my face. “I feel like an asshole- this feels like I’m breaking up with a dead guy.” I sighed, sorting through the words in my head. “But I can’t keep going like this…” I waited for a minute, and thankfully there was no response- the only sound was the soft click of Hancock’s Mentat tin from down the hall. “I haven’t found peace yet, but at least I have hope. I’ll take that for now- It’s been a minute since I've had that.” I placed a hand on the tube. “I’d say I’ll come back to tell you what happens with your son, but if there’s an afterlife in this world, I’m sure you’ll know- that’s good enough for me. If I could change it, I would… but I can’t. And since I can’t, I have to let you go. So…goodbye, Nate. I hope you find happiness where you are.”

Hancock turned and rose from his seat on the stairs as I approached, face full of concern. “How you doing?” 

I sniffled, wiping my face on my sleeve. “Ready to leave here for good,” I said. “I don’t ever want to come back.” I gave Nate one last look and walked away, tears still rolling down my face. 

\--

We left the vault and arrived at my makeshift camp at the Red Rocket station by nightfall. We were hungry, so I made a small fire at the cooking station and Hancock had made vegetable soup (thank god he did it, or we would have been screwed). While it cooked, we sat next to each other, quiet and pensive. Eventually, the dinner was done, and we ate in silence, but this time, the silence between us wasn’t oppressive- I felt surprisingly light. It was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. 

However, I knew I had one more story left to tell.

I stirred my spoon around the empty bowl, lost in thought. “Thanks for coming with me for this. It’s been one helluva trip, huh?” 

“That it has.” Hancock tipped the bowl up to his lips, swallowing the last bits of broth, and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. Afterward, he turned to me, his dark eyes reflecting the firelight. “So… is that it? You got everything out you need to?” 

“No,” I admitted. “There’s one more thing.”

He sat his empty bowl down and grabbed mine, placing it on the ground beside me. “I’m listening.”

I shifted to rest my head on him, trying to relax and watch the flames leap and crackle. If he left, I wanted to make sure I got the chance to remember him like this. “Well, you know how I told you about how our first loves go down in a flaming heap, right?”

He nodded. “I recall.” 

“Well, there’s a little bit more to it than that.” I took a deep breath and blew it out, hoping to ease the nerves in my stomach. 

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything- he just waited for me to continue. I wiped my face with my hands and looked up at the stars, determined to find a way to tell him this crazy shit. I’d heard it all my life, knew the stories as well as I knew my own name. But knowing it and living it are two different things, and now the truth was staring me in my face. 

_Treat it like a band-aid, Grace. Just pull it off and get it over with. _

“John, I know this isn’t a fair question to ask,” I said nervously. “But I have to ask it before I tell you the rest of the story.” 

Hancock didn’t shift- he just kept his arm on my shoulder. “Why's that?” 

“Well... it’s complicated,” I said carefully. “If I tell you, you might feel obligated to say something just to make me feel better.” 

He relaxed a little. “I ain’t never had these types of conversations before, but I assume that’s always the case, ain’t it?” He gave me that smile, the one that always made me melt and go weak in the knees. “Plus, who’s to say you wouldn’t be doin’ the same thing to me? You’re a lot more polite than I am, you know.””

“Fine... truce, I guess. But are you sure you want to know?” I said, staring at him and searching his face. “I’ll tell you the story, but I need you to be honest with me- after this, there’s not an in-between with me, ok?"

He squeezed my shoulder, trying to settle me, but I was a bundle of nerves. “I told you I want to know...” 

“Well, according to the story, everything in life has a balance. Light to dark, good to evil, yadda yadda yadda… ultimately, everything balances out. So, while we’re doomed to have a first love that almost kills us when it goes wrong, our second love is everything the first should’ve been… and more.” 

He looked at me for a moment. “What does that mean?”

“The story says that love will be the one who'll fight for you, not make you cry. Instead of wanting to die because of it, you’ll want to live to experience all of it. That person will be the one that sees you for exactly who you are and loves you so much that not even death will keep them from you. And in the end, because that love is so strong the balance tips- your children then go through the cycle to put things back to rights. But that’s it- the second is the last.” 

Hancock was quiet for a moment before speaking. “That how it was for your mom?” 

I nodded. “Grams too. Hence why I’m scared of my second time in the ring- I don’t know if I’m gonna get that... if I can even have that. Maybe I fucked up so badly I don’t have a shot at that kind of happiness,” I said quietly. “So there you have it- story, all laid out. Good thing the bags are still packed,” I joked, trying to cover up my rising panic. 

I stared at him, expecting to see a poof of smoke where he had sat and a red streak on the horizon as he hauled ass to get out of there as quickly as possible- I would’ve. But instead, I saw Hancock, looking at me like the bottom had just fallen out of the world. I thought I had broken him, but finally, he took my hand and spoke. “So,” he said huskily, “I’m confused about one thing, Sunshine.” 

“Oh really- just the one thing? That’s impressive.” 

“Yeah,” he kneeled in front of me so we were face to face and wrapped me in his arms- the fire was warm on my back, but it couldn’t compare to the embarrassment on my face. “You say that this happens with your second love, right?” 

“Yeah…”

“But if you’re telling me this, that would mean you love me, right?” He gazed into my eyes. “Do you?” 

I tried to look down, but he tilted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “No running, Sunshine.”

As always, I tried to sidestep his question. “I’m allowed to deflect on important matters like this. It’s in the contract.”

He sighed. “Sunshine, I’ve been yours- you already know I love you. Hell, according to your story, I already hit the death not keeping you from me part." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Score one for me, I guess- not many guys can claim that level of devotion, right?" He paused, his dark eyes searching my face. "So I’m asking you again... do you?”

_Holy shit- he was right._ _Goddamn it, Sam- you’re going to meddle in my business even from beyond the universe, huh?_

“Apparently, you’ve joined the ranks of the men in my family, then,” I said. “This is going to be great holiday conversation- ‘oh hey John, how about you tell us how you died? You know, when I kicked the bucket-“

“You’re running again…” he said. “You never answered my question.” 

I took a deep breath. “Yes,” I said softly. 

“Yes what?”

I stared at him, looking at the light reflecting on his face. I saw no deception in his eyes, just the same hope that was in mine. “I’m scared to lose you, John. I don’t think I’d find someone like you again. And if it’s not real, I’m probably gonna spend the rest of my very short life wishing it was.”

He kissed me and held my head in his hands. “Like I said, I ain’t going nowhere- I’m yours as long as you want me.” He leaned his head against mine, hands pressed against my cheeks. “I need you to say it, Grace.”

“That makes it real, John. If this won’t last, I don’t... I can’t...” 

“I hate to break it to you, Sunshine, but it’s real.” He smiled, stroking my face. “Looks like the only one who hasn’t noticed it yet is you." 

I knew I was about to seal my fate, so I paused, trying to bring myself to do it. “I love you too, John,” The words I’d only spoken to my family and child rolled off my tongue, but nothing happened. I don’t know what I was expecting- a flash of light, a choir of angels, confetti… It just felt so odd. I had said goodbye to Nate and told Hancock I loved him, but the world didn’t end and he didn’t run away- instead, he pulled me closer.

“It’s about damn time,” he said, kissing me so hard that I nearly fell off my seat and into him. 

_ _

* * *

They retired to the tiny bed in the garage, not saying anything, just lying there in the dark and holding each other. Hancock was pressed against her, and she was holding his hands like she was scared she would drown if she didn’t have him close. Trying to make sure she was all right, he kissed her neck and whispered in her ear. “How you doing over there, Sunshine?”

“I love you,” was her soft reply. 

“Not the question, but I’ll be damned if I get tired of hearing you say it,” he replied. "Feel free to do it again, if you like?"

“I love you,” she said again, this time with a soft laugh. “Never thought I’d be saying that.” She paused for a second, thumbs tracing over his knuckles. “How about you, John? How are you feeling?”

Hancock thought about it for a moment, resting his chin on the top of her head. “Happier. Relieved. I’ve felt like this for a while, I guess- other than being damn near ecstatic to know how you feel and relieved I wasn’t crazy, everything else was the same.” He kissed her again, unable to get enough of the feel of her skin on his lips- he didn’t know if he ever would. “I've been yours, Sunshine- the only difference is now I know you feel the same way."

“How long do you want to be in this for, John?” She started to relax against him- he felt her raise his hands to her mouth and kiss his knuckles. 

"I’m a ghoul- I ain’t got nothin’ but time." He smiled and whispered in her ear, “So... how does forever sound? That long enough for you?”

“Sounds good to me," she said softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately for Grace, none of this changes any of the main events that much in the game. My heart breaks for her every time I see how happy she is, knowing that I'm going to incur her wrath down the line.
> 
> If you're interested in reading why Grace came to the Commonwealth, check out 'Echoes from a time before' (chapter 10) in _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_


	18. Darling, you're positively glowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Hancock traverse the Glowing Sea

_ _

* * *

“Holy shit- what is this place, John?” I said, staring incredulously at the glowing landscape in front of us. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“A sea of radiation," he said, staring out into the expanse and not looking pleased in the slightest. "We’re too close- put the suit on, Sunshine.”

“But it’s _hot_,” I whined. “And it smells funny…” He had been asking me to put it on for the last hour or so, but it felt like it was over a hundred degrees outside and I had steadfastly refused every time. He’d relented earlier, but now he looked like he could care less what I thought about the matter- he dangled the suit in one hand and a bottle of pills in another, glaring at me like a parent trying to get a kid to take a disgusting-tasting medicine. I knew I was being difficult, but I didn’t care- the smell, coupled with the heat… if I put that suit on, I was going to pass out.

The look he shot me was lethal. “Sunshine.” With that one word, Hancock let me know that he was entirely sick of my shit and I had run out of choices. I got the feeling if I refused one more time, he was going to shove me inside the suit like a cat in a pillowcase- I’d probably be about as happy as one, too.

“_Fine_,” I huffed, stripping out of my armor and tossing it at him. “Give me the damn suit.”

“It’s for your own good,” he replied softly, trying to assuage some of my anger. “This place is lethal, Grace.”

“Then why aren’t you wearing one of the funktastic suits, huh?” I shoved a leg inside, feeling like I was stepping into aluminum foil. “How come you don’t have to wear one of these monstrosities?”

He sighed- I knew was getting on his nerves, but he was too sweet to argue with me. “Because I’m immune to radiation. In fact, it heals me up- perfectly healthy... other than the obvious,” he said, winking. "Perks of being a ghoul and all.”

“Right now, I think you got the better deal,” I said, sulking as I shoved my arms inside. I tried to zip up the suit, but the fingers were making it extremely difficult. I let out a soft harrumph and stomped my foot. “I hate this damn thing.”

“You’ll thank me afterward. Take these,” he said. I scowled at him and he looked back at me, expression unchanged. “It’s either the pills now or a needle in your arm later- your choice. And I’m not about to hand out addictol to you like candy because you’re being a brat.”

_Fuck, he’s right_. I took the pills and put them in my mouth, then chugged down a glass of water. When he stared at me, I opened my mouth and showed him the pills were gone. “But I’m your brat though, right?”

“Damn straight,” he said, zipping the suit for me. “C’mon, let's go find this Virgil character and get the hell outta this place.”  


_ _

* * *

Hancock hated it out here.

Grace had been irritating on a level he hadn’t seen since… well, ever. She hated the suit- she complained it was hot, she said it was bulky, she whined about how it smelled. She tried every trick she knew to get out of wearing it, testing his resolve at every turn. Finally, he had resorted to telling her if she tried fucking with it one more time, he was going to guide her ass right back to the border. She had retorted that she would just go back on her own and he smirked, asking her how she, of all people, planned on finding anything without his help. Eventually, she glared at him through the hood and stopped speaking to him for the last few miles, which was just fine with Hancock- watching her stomp and pout was far more entertaining than listening to her bitch and moan.

After they had plowed through mountain after mountain of bloatflies and stopped to rest for a moment, she finally spoke to him again. “Where are we going, anyway?” She turned and looked around, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “What kind of crazy motherfucker actually _lives_ out here? This Virgil has to be off his goddamn rocker or something.”

He wanted to say something snarky about her speaking to him again, but he found he couldn’t disagree with what she had said- he wasn’t exactly thrilled about the place himself. Even with the bulky suit, Grace was a damn good shot to have at his back, but this place was a suicide mission - Virgil had hidden well.

He sighed and looked out over the horizon, groaning- the crater in the distance, but they weren’t exactly close. “There’s a group of nutjobs out here… call themselves the Children of Atom. Figure one of the crazy bastards would be able to tell us something. Better than stumbling along out here blind in the rads, right?”

But the sullen version of Grace was back from her cigarette break. “I have to pee,” she said flatly.

_Hold it,_ he thought, but he knew better than to say it- If he did, she was likely to whip the whole suit off and piss right in front of him out of spite. Instead, he rubbed his temples, trying to hold back the insults that were on the tip of his tongue.

_That’s your girl- you chose this._

And that she was- he wouldn’t trade her for all the chems in the Commonwealth, but Hancock was starting to wish that Nick was here to help him keep his temper in check. He was terrified he was going to feed her to the next radscorpion he saw if she bitched about that suit one more goddamn time.

She chose the wrong moment to speak back up. “Well?” she asked, hands on her hips. “Oh great one, who has made me swear to keep on this portable broiler that smells of ass under fear of retaliation, where, oh where, has he ordained it ok for me to relieve myself, since I am not blessed with the ability to whip it out and piss against the nearest tree like _some people_?"

Hancock balled his hands up into fists and turned away from her, slowly breathing in and out. _Keep it together,_ he thought. _You love her- you can’t murder her._

“You know what… if you want to end up like me, fine. Just means I’m gonna have longer to hear you bitch- do whatever you want.” He rummaged in the pack and tossed some RadAway at her. “Use this when you’re finished- I’m gonna go smoke before I lose my shit.” He turned to walk away, but she called out behind him.

“John,” she said, her voice softer this time.

“Yes?” When she wasn’t actively trying to piss him off, her voice sent shivers up his spine. She was going to say she was sorry, tell him she loved him, give him one of those looks that made him ache to get back to Goodneighbor so he could show her how much…

He turned to see Grace staring at him, hands outstretched and twitching. “I can’t unzip the suit.”

He smacked himself in the face and closed his eyes. “Without a fucking doubt, if you were anyone else I would’ve shot you in the face by now.”

“I know.” She smiled as he unzipped the suit. "Love you,” she said.

“Love you too.”  


_ _

* * *

As I stripped from the hot murder suit, I took a deep inhale of the yellow air. It was metallic in my mouth, like copper or blood, and I coughed. Hancock glared at me at the noise, highly infuriated that I was even out of it in the first place, and waved me toward the tree, gesturing for me to hurry the fuck up. I wondered how one knew if they had radiation poisoning- outside of the cough and the metal taste, I felt fine. The way he was talking about things out here, I thought my face was going to start melting the moment I took off the suit. No matter, I was free for a moment, even if it was only to avoid me pissing in my suit and having to smell that on top of whatever else was in there.

When I finished up, I walked over to Hancock, who was prepping the Rad-x for me. My eyes opened wide, but his eyes narrowed, face clearly saying ‘don’t you fucking start’ and ‘I’m about ten seconds from murdering you where you stand if you say one word’. Not wishing to test him any further, I extended my arm and closed my eyes.

“Let me see that Pip-Boy,” he said, turning my arm over to read it. “Somethin’ ain’t right.”

I opened one eye. “What do you mean?”

He was squinting at the screen. “You should be damn near dead out here after taking off that suit, but your numbers… they’re normal.” He looked at me, eyes searching my face. “How do you feel?”

I shrugged. “Fine. Actually, I was wondering what all the hubbub was about- the air tastes like metal, but other than that, I don’t notice much of a difference."

“You ain’t feeling sick, are you? You feel like you want to throw up or something?” He put his hand on my head, checking to see if I had a fever. “You ain’t just lyin’ to make me feel better, are you?"

I shook my head. “Nope. Just thankful to get out of the hot ass suit for a while. It smells like something died in there, John. And I don't mean passed peacefully in the middle of the night surrounded by family and friends, I mean mass-murderer horror movie style.”

He shot me a look. “In all honesty, something probably did.” I went white and it was his turn to shrug. "It is what it is, Sunshine.”

“Well, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I’m not dying, so the suit comes off,” I said, fixing him with a stare. “I’ll take some more of the rad-x if it’ll make you feel better, and if the numbers change, I’ll put it back on.” I wasn’t looking for his approval, but I also didn’t want Hancock having a stroke worrying about me.

He frowned. “Fine. It’s better than hearing you bitch and moan the rest of the way. But,” he said, pointing at me, “we’re visiting the doc as soon as we get back- is that clear?”

If I wasn’t being such a shit earlier, I would've punched him for that remark, but I let it slide- I was just happy to be free of my portable prison. “Besides, if I was still in there, I couldn’t do this,” I said, kissing him on the cheek.

He pretended to think about it. “I don’t think that was worth it, Sunshine- I‘m gonna need a little more than that."

“Oh really? I asked, draping my arms around his neck, pressing my body against him. “Care to tell me what might be better?”

He groaned and pulled away, kissing me on the top of my head. “Oh, Sunshine, I can't wait to get back home and show you."

—

We trekked deeper and deeper into the radiation and finally came across a crater in the ground. Hancock signaled for me to crouch behind a rock and we stared at the chanting people in the center of the crater. Most of them did not look anything remotely close to healthy- their skin was sallow and covered in sores and burns. “Holy shit,” I said softly. “What the hell is going on over here?”

“Children of Atom,” Hancock said, grimacing. “These nutters think that the bombs were created by their god or some shit. Bunch of idiots,” he murmured. “If I had any other choice I’d avoid them. But they’re prolly our best bet in finding Virgil."

“Fuck it, let’s do it,” I said. “Take me to their leader.”

He looked at me like I had two heads. “Huh?”

“Yeah, it’s from before your time. Let’s figure out who knows what the hell is going on,” I said.

Hancock shook his head and helped me to my feet, and we slowly climbed down from our perch. His hand was twitching next to his knife, and I didn’t blame him. I had somehow wound up immune to the radiation, but I was pretty damn certain that bullets and knives hadn’t gotten the same memo. My side twinged at the memory, and I instinctively grabbed for his hand- he held it without reservation as we approached the crowd.

One of the children sitting on the ground noticed our approach and nodded in greeting. “Have you come to give glory to Atom?” He stared at Hancock, and his eyes widened. “You… you have been touched by Atom’s glow. And yet you walk with one unwashed in his glory…” he extended his hands to me. “Don’t you wish to join us and receive his blessing?”

I backed up, trying to keep my expression neutral. “Um… I’ll pass, thank you.”

Sensing my discomfort, Hancock moved in front of me, hand still hovering near his pocket. “We’re looking for someone named Virgil. You seen him around here?"

The man thought about it for a moment. “I have not, Blessed One. But that does not mean the one you seek is not here- Mother Isolde may know”

“Mother Isolde?” I asked.

The man pretended I hadn’t spoken- he glared at me and turned to Hancock instead. “Blessed One, I will take you to our revered mother, but the unwashed child must remain out here.”

Hancock glared right back at the man. “That would be a hearty ‘fuck no’ on that one right there- where I go, she goes. And right now, we need to talk to whoever is in charge.”

The man sighed. “I will leave this for the mother to sort out.” He rose from his seated position slowly, bones creaking. “Come, follow me into the temple, and let the mother guide you, Blessed One.”

I turned to Hancock and whispered,” Why does he keep calling you ‘Blessed One’?”

He leaned back, careful to keep his voice down. “They worship ghouls. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t tolerate this bullshit, but if it gets us some answers, fuck it.” He smiled. “Besides, I am pretty enough to be worshipped.”

“Only by me,” I said, teasingly as we walked towards one of the houses. I clung to his side, feeling very open and extremely vulnerable as we walked past the others. They openly stared at us as we walked- contemptuous glares for me and open-jawed reverence for Hancock. For once, I stayed quiet- whatever we were doing was working, and I didn’t want to take any chances on screwing this up for us. Hancock just stared ahead and followed our guide, holding my hand tightly and muttering softly under his breath the entire time.

We ended up in front of a rusted husk of a house that had a woman standing in front of it. The woman was older if her grey hair was any indication, but she was certainly the authority around here- you could tell by the way she carried herself. She looked at our guide, then glanced over to us, curiosity shining in her bloodshot green eyes when they alighted on Hancock, and concern flitted across her face when she saw me. “Brother Foster, who have you brought me today?”

Brother Foster bowed and gestured to Hancock. “The Blessed One wishes to speak with you, Mother.”

She inclined her head at the man. “Thank you, Brother. Return to your prayers.” The man nodded and left, glaring at me when he passed, and Mother Isolde turned her attention to us, speaking to Hancock first. “Welcome, Blessed One. Atom has seen fit to bless you with his gifts, and we welcome you amongst us.” Then she turned and peered at me with curiosity. "This is no place that the forsaken or untouched merely 'pass through.’ Why have you come with the Blessed One?”

“Um... I need your help- I'm looking for someone named Virgil.” I said, softly. Hancock squeezed my hand, and I felt a little better.

The old woman considered me for a moment. "He has come to the Glowing Sea, seeking Atom's shelter. It is my business to know why you wish to see him. State your intentions."

Hancock spoke up instead. “We need his help to get to the Institute.” He sighed and paused before continuing. “Your follower said you might be able to help us.”

She nodded. "I have heard of this Institute. They hide themselves, trying to avoid the power of Atom. A futile effort.” She sat on a bench and crossed her hands in her lap, looking as if she was debating how much she wanted to tell us.

When she paused, Hancock walked forward, gently taking her hand in his. “Look, I understand your concern- if someone came to my town lookin’ for shelter, I wouldn’t exactly be too keen on talking to the first two rando weirdos that asked about him either. But,” he said, giving her one of his megawatt smiles and sitting beside her, “we really need to talk to him- wouldn’t have shown up on your doorstep if we didn’t. Do you think you can help us out a little?”

Mother Isolde looked like she had just met her favorite teen idol after a concert- her eyes were shining with adoration. She looked at Hancock and smiled. “Well, far be it from me to deny a Blessed One on a quest from Atom- I suppose I can be more forthcoming to one of our own.” She sighed, and Hancock patted her hand. "In truth, this Virgil has caused some concern. Some believe his presence is an affront to Atom,” she said, eyes fluttering at Hancock, who was still smiling at her with rapt interest. "Though he came to trade with us on a few occasions, we have had little other contact with him. It was quite clear he wanted to be left alone.”

He squeezed her hand again, and I fought to not roll my eyes. “Thank you, Mother Isolde. You’ve been right helpful. I hate to trouble you-“ he started to bite his lip, and stared at her hopefully, “but do you know where we can find him? It’s really important, and you’d be doing me a real favor if you could help me out.”

“I should not-“

“Please,” Hancock said again, voice low and rumbling. “I really gotta find this guy.”

If the bitch could’ve swooned, she would have- it was taking all my restraint to not reach over and grab the woman by her hair. She bit her bottom lip and stared into Hancock’s eyes. “If it will help… I suppose. I would not want a Blessed One to fall victim to the sea in your search. If you must, you can find him southwest of the crater, living in a cave.”

Hancock smiled at the old woman. “Thanks kindly, Mother Isolde. You have no idea what this means to me.” He patted her hand as he started to stand up. “We’ll be on our way now and leave y’all to it."

She reached out and touched his shoulder- I flinched. "I would approach cautiously, were I you. I feel he does not want visitors.”

He patted the hand on his shoulder. “Appreciate the concern, Mother Isolde. Thanks for the help.” He looked at me and extended his hand. “C’mon, let’s go find Virgil.”

I simply nodded and followed- I was too mad to even say a single word to him.  
—  
We left the crater and followed the directions the trollop gave us, with Hancock leading the way. I knew I was being stupid, but I did not care- every time I tried to calm down, I could see that bitch holding his hand and trying to jump his bones in front of me. He would try to talk, but all I could manage in reply was curt one-word answers. Though I was mad, I just couldn’t pinpoint why I was so upset. I’d never been that type of person to be jealous, but something about the sight of him with his hands on her made my blood boil.

_Maybe you never cared enough to be jealous before… ever think of that?_

We’d traveled for about a mile like this when he stopped and placed a hand on my shoulder- instinctively, I flinched. Though I recovered quickly and relaxed, it was no use- he caught it and his eyes narrowed- the pressure increased as he gently held me by both shoulders. “Out with it, Sunshine- you’ve been outta sorts all day. Care to tell me what the hell is going on here?” I tried to avoid his gaze, but he shook his head and tilted my chin up to look at him. “Nah, I don’t think so,” he said casually. "You ain't never acted like that when I’ve touched you.” His eyes scanned my face, searching for an answer. “So talk to me… what’s goin’ on?”

I looked down. “S’nothing. Let’s just go.” Hancock just stared at me and I sighed, trying to make myself act rationally, but I was having a miserable time of it. “John,” I finally said. “You were flirting with her… in front of me. In my face, like I wasn’t even there… like I didn’t mean a fucking thing,“ I said sullenly.

His face fell. “Sunshine,” he croaked. “You’re the world to me. How could you think-“ He stopped himself mid-sentence and threaded his fingers through my hair, pulling me to him. “All I was trying to do was get you answers,” he said. "She wasn’t gonna talk to you, you know that, right?”

I didn’t respond- he stepped back and held my gaze, black eyes locked to my green ones. “Sunshine, that town was a goddamn powder keg- one wrong move and they were gonna toss you out on your ear. I needed to get her to talk to me… that’s all.” He searched my face again. “Please tell me you know that the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.” When I lowered my eyes in shame. he dropped his hands and turned away, kicking a rock at his feet. “Fuck!” he hissed, squatting down on the ground.

“John,” I said softly, placing my hand on his shoulder. “Get up.” When he didn’t, I removed his hat and placed a kiss on the top of his head. “C’mon,” I said, fixing his hat back on his head and moving in front of him. “You gotta see this from my side, hon.” While I hated myself for being a jealous bitch, I needed him to understand where I was coming from. I knew I wasn’t in the right, but I felt how I felt and I wasn’t going to hide it, especially not from him.

He didn’t rise, but he raised his head to look at me. “Whatcha mean?”

“Well,” I said, thinking. “What if I went up to one of the leaders of a settlement and started flirting with him while you were right there? I mean, I'm just touching him, patting his cheek, and staring at him like he was the most interesting man I’d ever met and not even giving you a second glance when I did it? How do you think you’d react?”

“I’d murder the bastard,” he said with no hesitation.

I stared at him and smiled for a moment, waiting- finally, it clicked. “Oh,” he said softly, understanding spreading across his face.

“Yep,” I replied. “I’m probably feeling a little less murder-y right now, but it’s not a great feeling, is it?”

He rose and shook his head. “Nope. Not in the least. Ain’t even happened and I’m already itchin’ to get out my knife. But Sunshine,” he said, staring at me incredulously, “I could see you leaving me for someone a little less… well-done. How could you possibly think anyone out here could compare to you?”

I raised my eyebrow. “You’re not getting off that easy- there’s no chance of me wanting someone other than you, John,” I said. “But you’re right, I am pretty damn awesome. I mean, I look amazing for being over 200 years old and I have more than a passing appreciation for soap.” I sniffed my armpits and wrinkled my nose. “That I desperately need and would totally kill for right now."

“That you are, and that you do,” he said laughing. “We good?”

I smiled back at the man who was slowly becoming my damn world. “Yep. Let’s go find that doc.”  
\--  
We got to the cave and immediately Hancock tensed up. “Holy shit, he’s got a goddamn arsenal set up here.”

I thought about it for a moment, staring at the turrets- something about them was odd to me. “Makes sense. If you had a bastard like Kellogg after you, what would you have at your front door?”

Hancock shrugged. “Good point. Doesn’t solve for the stockpile we’re supposed to get through though, does it?”

I was still staring at the defenses… something just wasn’t right. Then, it clicked- I bent over and picked up a rock, tossing it inside the cave.

“What the hell are you doing?” Hancock hissed, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the ground, waiting for the gunfire I knew wasn’t coming. I lay on the ground underneath him, smiling, and he looked at me quizzically. “You knew they wouldn’t fire… how?”

I stood up, dusting myself off. “No sparks and no lights,” I said.

“Huh?” Hancock looked confused as he stood up, staring into the cavern as if he expected the turrets to go off at any given moment. “What does that have to do with anything?"

“Most machines out here give off sparks when they’re on,” I said. “Maybe you guys don’t have enough shielding for the wires or something. But either way, when something is on, it tends to spark a bit. This didn’t,” I said.

“If I weren’t so terrified, I’d kiss you, Sunshine,” he said. “Please don’t do that shit again, ok?”

I grinned. “I make no promises. C’mon, let’s go before something does come on and I have to eat my words before I die.”

—  
Where I was expecting a man, I found a super mutant. Hancock immediately had his hand on his knife, but I stayed his hand. Yeah, he was one of the things we had been running from as we trekked across the commonwealth, but he was rational. He wasn’t trying to run at us with a mini-nuke, so that was already a point in his favor.

Not in our favor, however, was his demeanor when we started to question him. "You want to get into the Institute?” he said after we introduced ourselves. "Are you insane? Never mind how nearly impossible that is, even if you were to succeed it'd almost certainly end in your immediate death.”

“I have my reasons,” I said. “It’s important.”

He scoffed at me. "What reason could you possibly have for taking that kind of risk?”

I hung my head and Hancock gripped my hand. “They took my son, Virgil. The institute took my baby boy and I have to get him back.” I raised my eyes to him. “Please… you have to help me. You’re the only real lead since that sonofabitch Kellogg, and he’s quite fucking dead right now, so I need your help."

Virgil had the decency to look apologetic. "I had no idea. I'm sorry.” He walked away, turning his back to us. "Yeah, the Institute has taken people from the Commonwealth in the past. If your son is one of them... I can understand why you'd want to get in there.” He stood by a cabinet in the back, head leaning against his elbow for a moment. “Look,” he said. "I can help, but... I'm going to need something in return.”

Hancock rolled his eyes. “Of _course_ you do. Cause no one out here actually just, you know, _helps_ anyone anymore.”

Virgil exhaled slowly. “Before I had to escape, I was working on a serum that would serve as a cure for my.... condition. I wasn't able to bring it with me. It's still in my lab, and... Well, look at me. I need it.” He stared at Hancock. “Don’t you want to be normal? I do- I can’t live like this.” His eyes filled with tears and Hancock looked away, expression unreadable. "I need you to find it for me if you manage to get inside the Institute. What do you say?”

“Hey, if you can get me in there, I’ll do what I can to get you what you need,” I said, trying to not show how irritated I was at the quid pro quo state of things. “But how do I get in there?"

Virgil rubbed his hands together, eyes brighter. "All right. Let's talk details. First thing's first. You know how synths get in and out of the Institute?”

Hancock nodded. “Yeah, they teleport."

Virgil looked impressed. “Very good… almost no one on the surface does, and that's on purpose. They like to keep it a secret. They use something commonly referred to as the "Molecular Relay." I don't understand all the science behind it, but it works. De-materializes you in one place, re-materializes you in another.”

I stared at him skeptically. “Like Star Trek? They seriously go ‘beam me up, Scotty’ and you end up on deck at the Institute?” Both men stared at me and I groaned. "Fuck my life, I _hate_ this place,” I muttered. “It’s like the twilight zone version of the future- all of the cool shit wants to kill you."

Virgil looked at me, then back at Hancock. “Is she all right?”

Hancock just rolled his eyes. “Just go with it. It’d take too long to explain.”

Virgil cleared his throat. " I'm sure it sounds crazy, but it's a reality. The Relay is the only way in and out of the Institute. You understand? The only one. That means you're going to have to use it."

“That’s just fucking peachy,” I said. “How do we use it? I’ve been looking around, and I’ve seen tons of train stops, but no relay stops. I think I’m gonna need a little more to go on.”

Virgil nodded. “You’re right. You need a Courser.” Hancock blanched at the word.

I was so confused. “What’s a Courser? Never heard of it.”

“You saw one, Sunshine.. in the murder brain,” Hancock whispered. I winced a little at the memory. _Oh shit._

Virgil didn’t hear Hancock- he just gave a grim smile. “Not surprised you haven’t heard of one. They’re another Institute secret.” He took a deep breath. "They don't come out often, and when they do, few see them. Coursers are Institute synths, designed for one purpose. They're hunters. Operations go wrong, a synth goes missing, and a Courser is dispatched.”

“Okay, so they’re the bounty hunters of the Institute. Got it.” I looked at the scientist. “Why do I need one?"

Virgil began rifling through papers on his desk as he talked. "Every Courser has special hardware that gives them a direct connection to the Relay in the Institute. It's embedded in a chip in their heads. You need that chip.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes. “This place has a thing for putting stuff in people’s heads, it seems.” Hancock glared at me, and I could feel him mentally willing me to shut my mouth. “Sorry,” I mumbled. “Please continue.”

The scientist nodded. “Like I said, they have the chip you need. But to get it, you'll have to find one. And that’s going to be the rough part."

I sighed, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Though I had never taken a Mentat, I suddenly understood their appeal. “So how do I find one?”

Virgil smiled, having an actual answer for me. "Now, the Relay causes some pretty heavy interference all across the EM spectrum. You've got a radio on that Pip-Boy, right?” I nodded and he continued. “Well, when you get to the ruins, tune it to the lower end of the band and listen in. You'll be able to hear the interference. Follow the signal, and it'll lead you to a Courser.”

Hancock looked at the man. “And that’s it?"

Virgil squirmed a bit, which was interesting to see considering his size. “Well yeah. Then you just have to... not get killed.”

“Great. I’m about to go fight a fucking terminator. This is rich,” I scoffed. “Fuck am I supposed to do, just stroll up to him and say, ‘hey Mr. Courser, how about you not murder me cause I need the chip in your head’ and he goes ‘sure thing, lady, here you go’? Sounds pretty fucking unlikely to me.”And where exactly am I even supposed to find one of these?” The headache was now a reality- I rubbed my temples, trying to not get visibly angry. Why couldn’t anything be easy around here?

"The primary insertion point for Coursers is in the ruins of CIT, directly above the Institute,” Virgil said. "So you'll want to head there."

Hancock had no such qualms about taking a Mentat, and he did. “This sounds like suicide,” he said flatly.

Virgil shrugged. "It does, doesn't it? If there were another way, I'd suggest it. Not gonna lie; the odds aren't in your favor here. But if you do make it, remember what I said about the serum. I need it, badly.”

I glared at him. “I’m missing a kid and you’re bitching to me about a cure for some shit that you did to yourself? Not to mention you’re sending me on a suicide mission? You want to take the base out of your voice for a second and bring it back down to human for a second?"

Virgil paused, looking slightly ashamed. “I… apologize. It’s been a while since I’ve talked to anyone other than that crazy cult out there. I didn’t mean to be insensitive to your plight.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I... I really do hope you find what you're looking for.” He sighed and moved across to the cabinet, reaching inside one of the drawers and fishing around. "Look, I was going to make you come back when you had the chip, but..." He handed me a holotape and gave me a grave look. "Those are the plans I stole for the molecular relay. Once you get that chip, you can build the relay and get in."

I swallowed nervously. "Virgil... I said slowly, "you're placing an awful lot of trust in us coming back with that... What happens if we fail?"

"Then I die like this, the same way I would have if I didn't help you. At least now I know I'm still a human being inside and tried to help my fellow man instead of being like one of those greedy institute bastards." He gave me a small smile. "And who better to bet on than a very motivated and very angry mother who was willing to go out to the Glowing Sea to find a way inside." He looked me in the eye solemnly. "I just hope you prove me right, Grace."

“So do I,” I replied as we silently made our way out the cave.  
—

“What do you think,” I asked Hancock. “What do we do now?”

He popped another Mentat as we walked along, thinking before replying. After a moment, he turned to me. “Ain’t no way we’re handing this on our own. I think it’s time we got the misfits back together… we’re gonna need the help.”

I nodded. “Sounds good to me. If I gotta go up against a T-1000, I’d rather have you, Mac and Nick at my back. Plus Pipes might know something that can help.”

Hancock looked confused. “What’s a T-1000?”

I grinned. “Sorry, you don’t know the reference. It’s from an old movie. Not important."

“Oh… I’m gonna leave it alone,” he said, pausing for a second before continuing. “In any case, It might be time we introduce you to some folks, Sunshine.”

“Then let’s get started,” I said. “Let’s go get the band back together, shall we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can so see Grace being jealous- we've all been there. Also, I hate the idea of having to go back to the sea and wanted to make Virgil a bit more human, so this was a win on both counts for me. 
> 
> In addition, I think Grace may have shot Virgil on sight if he made her come back a second time- just saying.


	19. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Hancock meet up with old friends and make plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I had to bump up the rating on this one because we are 100% NSFW at the end of Ch.19- I don't usually write smut, but it had to happen eventually. 
> 
> So... you've been warned. Enjoy, and happy Halloween!

_ _

* * *

_I hate the Commonwealth,_ I thought. _When I had access to a car and public transit, this shit was manageable... but now? Fuck you very much, Boston- walking across this goddamn state sucks._

We had stopped to camp for the night- I was too tired to continue any further and he was grumpier than usual. Resting would do us both some good. Hancock was ignoring my grumblings- I was sure he had issues of his own since we were heading towards Diamond City to get Piper and Nick. He had balked at his own idea when I pointed out that we’d be better off stopping over there first, saying that I was reading the map wrong, but I promptly shot back that even I could see icons on a map. Hancock needed to suck it up or he could go home- I could meet him back at Goodneighbor if it was that much of an issue.

That grand idea went over about as well as a lead balloon- he gave me a withering look and refused to discuss the issue any further. I understood his position- I wasn’t exactly enthused about a town that could hate people like him and Daisy, and my heart ached for him considering who his brother was, but I couldn’t afford to stop my journey because of it. As my mom would say..._ suck it up, buttercup_.

“John, are you ok?” I asked as we huddled in the base of an old radio tower for the night. “I know this trip has sucked major ass, but I do want you to know that I’m thankful for you being here.” I felt the corners of my mouth twitch up into a smile. “Come to think of it, I’m grateful you haven’t murdered me- we _are_ out here all alone, no one would’ve known, and I probably would’ve deserved it.”

“Can’t say it didn’t cross my mind in the sea,” he said, smirking at me. “You know how to drive me crazy.”

I grinned as climbed the stairs of the tower to the observation deck, eager to see the stars and leaving him to his Jet. When I arrived at the top, I went to the edge and rested against the railing, face turned up towards the night sky and breeze blowing through my hair. I shut my eyes, relishing in the calm- then I began to softly sing.

_Keep your head up, hold your head up even though it’s a cruel world _  
_Count your blessings you won't need them when you're gone, it's a cruel world _  
_You can't see it, you can't see it, even though it's a cruel world_

“Didn’t know you sang, Sunshine.” Startled, I turned to see Hancock leaning against the door, clouds of Jet vapor swirling around his head as he watched me. He gestured for me to continue and I blushed. “What? Don’t stop on my account,” he said softly.

The breeze caused my hair to fly in my face, and I tucked the stray curl behind my ear. “I don’t sing much anymore… I can probably leave the tunes to Magnolia,” I joked.

“Don’t see why not- it’s better than that mopey shit Travis keeps playing on the radio. And besides,” he said, patting my shoulder as he went to sit on the deck. “I’d rather listen to my girl sing to me under the stars any day.” He patted the area next to him, taking off his coat and gesturing for me to sit.

I chuckled and went to sit down. “I didn’t say I was cold,” I said, sidling up next to him as he draped the coat over my shoulders.

“You’re always cold,” he said with a smile. “Doesn’t hurt that you’re the only one who looks as good in it as I do.”

“That is true- I do look really good in red, but I think you rock the tricorn better than me,” I said, flicking the brim of the hat. “Must be the political power that makes it so sexy."

“Damn right,” he said, kissing my head. Sighing with content, I turned my head up to resume my stargazing and he stared at me questioningly. “You really like the stars, huh? I see you staring at them every chance you get.”

I nodded. “They’re the same,” I said. “It makes me feel like I’m not alone out here. When I look at them, I can pretend…” I trailed off.

“That you're not here,” he said, sadly finishing my sentence. He turned his face up to the sky, absentmindedly caressing my shoulder. “Do you miss it?”

“Miss what?” I asked, twisting my head to look up at his face.

“Home.”

I shrugged. “I miss a lot of things. I can’t have them, so what difference does it make? I’m just happy with what I have right now.”

"If that includes me, then I’m glad.” He turned to look at me. “So, I gotta ask… what happens after?”

“After what?” I said.

He shifted a bit and shrugged. “I’m just wondering what you’re thinking about doing when you find the kid.”

I bit my lip. “Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it. Guess I should’ve asked you about how you felt about kids, huh? Will I need to find somewhere else to be?”

Hancock looked horrified. “God no,” he said. “That’s your kid, Sunshine- where you go, he goes. I knew that going in, considering we’re out here damn near getting our asses blown off to find him.” His eyes settled on a point past my head. “So, after you find your boy… do you guys go back to-“ he waved his hand around his head- “wherever it is you were before?”

“Nope,” I said. “I’ve got you, John. Wherever you are, that’s where home is,” I said. “Partners, remember?"

“Always,” he said, kissing and warming my lips under the cool night sky.  
\--

Once inside Diamond City, we made a beeline for Publick Occurences, dodging the guards and trying our best to stay out of sight. Piper was at her desk, pencil behind her ear and lost in thought- she hadn’t seen us come in. 

I grinned and Hancock leaned against the doorframe. “Excuse me,” I said, waving a copy of the paper and laughing. “I happen to take offense at how much hero-worship is in this article over here- there isn’t enough love for the rest of the cast.”

Piper jumped, turning around in her seat. “Blue!” She squealed, running to me and giving me a great big hug. “I’ve missed you so much! Nick came back by himself and told me where you ran off to,” she pulled back and frowned at me. “Why didn’t you come get me? I would have helped!” She glared at Hancock. “Ah… so he did go with you. And he made it back… yay,” she said dryly.

Hancock gave Piper a fake smile and flipped her off- I ignored them and smiled at the reporter. “I know you would’ve come, Pipes. I missed you too,” I said, hugging her back. “The glowing sea was no picnic. Kinda glad you stayed here- couldn’t handle something happening to you out there.”

“Too bad nothing happened to him,” she mumbled- I shot her a look. “_What_,” she mouthed silently.

I shook my head- it wasn’t worth it. “Anyway, I really need your help now, but it’s gonna be dangerous as hell. Do not feel like you have to help-"

“Really, please don’t,” said Hancock lightly as he closely examined his hands.

This time it was Piper’s turn to shoot him a look. I narrowed my eyes at Hancock, and he pointed to himself with a ‘_what_ did I do’ gesture- I smacked him on the arm and he glared at me.

“Piper, you have a life here and I am not trying to fuck that up for you,” I said. “But I need you and Nick if you two can spare the time.” I lowered my voice. “We found out how to get into the Institute.”

Her jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me, Blue?"

I shook my head. “Not kidding. If you're willing, I think I'm gonna need all hands on deck for this one.” I bit my lip- I knew I was asking a lot of the girl. "But again, don't feel obligated- it's not an easy mission. If you're up for it, do you mind getting Nick? We should all head to Goodneighbor and hash out a plan."

She made a face at the mention of the town. “Do we have to go there, Blue?” She glared at Hancock. “Is it even safe to go there?"

Hancock, who was now picking his nails with his knife, looked over his hands at the reporter. “Again, we really won’t be broken up about it if you stay here,” he said mildly. “Wouldn’t want the reporter to have to deal with the town chock-full of degenerate scum like us, you know.” He popped a mentat and I scowled. _Did he have to do that right now_?

“Blue is _nothing_ like you,” she hissed. “And I don’t know why she even stays there- she could easily stay right here with us.”

Watching the two of them made me feel like I was at a tennis match- I wanted to stop it, but it was funny as fuck to watch. _Screw it, I’m not Nick- I’m letting this play out for a minute. They can entertain me for once._

“In Diamond City?” Hancock barked. “Like I’d let my girl stay in-”

“_Let_ her? Blue is a grown woman, Hancock- you won’t let her do a damn thing,” Piper said, glaring at the mayor. Finally, her brain caught up to her mouth. I could see the moment it happened- she started to continue her rant, but then her brow furrowed and her left eye started to twitch. Her mouth was frozen open in a small ‘o’ of surprise and confusion, and then she turned to me, blinking rather fast.

“Your girl?” Piper said, looking at directly me. If there were any doubts about Piper being a synth, Hancock shut that shit down immediately- had she been anything other than human, I think her circuits would have fried right there.

Hancock responded before I could, pulling me close and giving me a loud kiss on the cheek. “Yep- _totally_ in love over here, didn’t you know? I’m marrying her as soon as I get a chance- want to cover the story, Piper? I’ll give you an exclusive,” he said, winking at the reporter. “That is if Sunshine will _let_ me,” he said with a wicked grin.

“_BLUE_!” I winced- Piper looked enraged. “What the hell is he talking about!” She pointed a finger at Hancock, shaking with rage. “You… you…”

He folded his hands beneath his chin and batted his eyes at her. “Wonderful ghoul? Why yes, yes I am, thanks for noticing.” He kissed me again. "That’s why she’s with me, you know."

_Well, that went tits-up faster than I expected... I guess I should have stopped it sooner_. Resigned, I sighed, putting my head in my hands. “Piper… if you're coming, would you please go get Nick?”

She glared at me- if looks could kill, I would have been roasted on a spit over an open flame. “This isn’t over, Blue. We are so talking about your life choices when I get back,” she said, slamming the door behind her.

When she left, I rounded on Hancock, who had turned to face the corner and was whistling a jaunty little tune. “You,” I said slowly, “are a prick. A gigantic, evil prick.” I glared at him, eyes full of anger and embarrassment. “Why would you do something like that?”

The bastard had the nerve to shrug. “Cause,” he said, staring at something completely fascinating in Piper’s office I couldn’t see. “It was true, so why not piss off the reporter as a bonus? I saw a chance and I took it- can’t say I’m too sorry about it."

I tried to think of things to say, but only sounds would come out- as punishment for letting them bicker, it was now time for my brain to short-circuit. “John-“

Just then, we heard an ear-splitting scream outside. “_NICK VALENTINE! GET YOUR METAL ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!_”

Hancock gave me a rueful grin. “Looks like the reporter found Nick, ” he said, giving me a peck on the cheek. “We’ll chat about this later. Pocketing,” he said cheekily.  


_ _

* * *

Hancock was pretty fucking happy if he did say so himself. He thought it was his best plan ever- not only had he pissed off the reporter to an infinite degree, which always tickled him to no end, he’d teased out Grace’s reaction without having to ask her a damn thing. True, she hadn’t talked to him since they left Diamond City, but he didn’t mind- every time he looked at her, she would turn away, blushing. Piper was even more fun- every time she tried to say something about it, he would just hum that stupid wedding song and she would throw a mini-fit all over again. This was the most fun he'd had in a long time, and Hancock was enjoying every minute of it.

Nick, however, was not as pleased with the situation as he was. “You are a right asshole, John,” the detective said flatly.

Hancock shrugged- even the detective couldn’t spoil his good mood. “Prolly. But I’m in mighty fine spirits, so I don’t mind.” He sighed happily. “I have everything I could want right now- I got Sunshine, I’ve pissed off Piper to a level I’ve only dreamed about before, and I’m heading home after traipsing across the ass-end of the commonwealth. So yeah, I might be an asshole, but I’m a super fucking happy one.” He smiled at the detective. “Considering I’m about to go on what seems like a suicide mission, I’m going to take my wins where I can get them.”

“Is it that bad?” Hancock and Grace hadn’t told them the details, preferring to wait and tell Mac at the same time. When Hancock didn’t answer, the detective let out a low whistle. “Shit,” he said.

“Yeah, that about sums it up,” Hancock said. “Shit.”

“Does she realize how bad it is?” Nick asked, nodding at Grace. Hancock nodded, still not saying anything. Nick was smart- he’d gotten the general idea without him saying a word. “Well, that explains a lot,” the detective said, rubbing his chin. “Enjoy your fun, John- I hope it's worth it.” He clapped the ghoul on the shoulder and started to walk off. "I think I want that drink now,” he muttered.  
—  
When they got to Goodneighbor and entered the statehouse, Fahrenheit was waiting for them.

“You done fucking around out there, Hancock? Finally ready to settle down and do some work for once?” The redhead glared at him and nodded at Nick. “Nick, care to talk some sense into this dipshit to make him keep his ass in town and oh, I don’t know, be the goddamn mayor?"

Nick just smiled. “Doll, you know it would take a higher power than me to get John to do what he’s supposed to do."

“Ain’t that the damn truth.” She laughed. “Mac’s on his way over- figured you’d want to see him, so I sent word before I came up.”

Hancock smiled. “You think of everything, Fahr.” He lit a cigarette and found a seat on the couch. Though she was still silent, Grace sat next to him- he placed an arm around her and she settled into it wordlessly.

Fahr shot a look at Nick. “This shit still going on?"

Nick placed a hand on the shoulder of the angry redhead. “Let it go, doll. We got much bigger fish to fry out here.”

Fahr harrumphed and noticed Piper, raising her eyebrow and jerking her thumb at the reporter. “What’s with the new broad?” She turned to Hancock.” You starting a harem or somethin'?”

“_As if_!” Piper huffed. “I wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole. He shouldn’t even be with Blue-“

Fahr held up a hand and cocked her head to the side. “Hold the fuck up, lady- what do you mean, ‘_with blue_’? There’s more to it than this bullshit?” Nick began to grin and Hancock put his head in his hands.

MacCready chose that moment to enter the statehouse, looking highly confused by the conversation taking place and the tension in the room. “What the fu-heck did I just walk in on?”

“Oh, Mac… I’m so glad you’re here,” Fahr said sweetly, which made the kid jump about a few feet back. “Anyone care to tell me what the hell is going on here?”

No one responded and Hancock felt his good day slipping away with every moment he sat in the room. Out of desperation, he tried to reach for an inhaler of Jet, but Fahr smacked it out of his hands. “Not a fucking chance,” she said menacingly. “You got something you want to tell me?”

At this, Piper’s face stretched into a wide and evil grin. “I’m Piper Wright, a reporter for Publick Occurrences. It just so happens that I’m here to do a story on-“

Hancock realized what she was about to do and was powerless to stop it. _That’s it_, he thought. _Fahr’s going to kill me and Sunshine right here, no questions asked._

Thankfully, Nick, being the only rational being in the room with the pack of feral animals masquerading as people, had enough sense to diffuse the situation. “The Institute. Piper is here to see what she can dig up on them since John and Gracie found something out.” He shot a look at the reporter, who huffed but kept quiet. "Care to tell us about it since we’re all in here now?”

Hancock breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he owed the synth anything he wanted and then some. “Thanks, Nick…” He glanced around the room nervously. “Yeah, we found the scientist. He confirmed it-the institute folk teleport in and out, that’s why we can’t find them. If we can get a special chip, we can build a machine to get inside and find Shaun.”

Piper forgot she was mad at Hancock for a moment and turned to Grace. “That’s amazing- we can find your boy!” She gave her friend a big smile, but Grace didn’t return it- Piper looked concerned. “What’s wrong, Blue?"

“Sounds to me like you and your vaultie would’ve done it by now if it was that simple, Hancock,” Fahr said, bringing the reporter back down to earth. She glanced around the room. “Why are we all here if that’s it?”

Hancock bit back the urge to say _no one asked you to be here_ but decided he didn’t want to press his luck tonight. “You’re right- it ain’t. To get the chip, we gotta kill a Courser.”

The room was silent except for Nick, who let out a low groan. “Fuck,” the detective said. “Now I understand what had you in such a mood earlier, John.”

“What’s a Courser?” Mac asked.

Hancock started to explain, but then Grace cut in. “A murder machine,” she said softly. “It’s a suicide mission to get this damn chip. And, once we get it, we still need to figure out how to use it to get to the institute, not to mention we have to build a fucking machine that no one’s ever seen before.” Grace stared solemnly into all of the faces in the room. “John said we should ask you to help, but I’m not down for my family to fucking die for a cause that has dick-all to do with them. I’m tired of all of this,” she said softly. “Fahrenheit’s right- I’m nothing but trouble and I’m sorry,” she said, lip quivering as tears pooled behind her green eyes. “I’ll find it myself- Virgil said I should look for one in the CIT ruins.”

After a few cacophonous minutes of frantic arguing, one voice pierced through the din.

“_All you assholes need to shut the fuck up!_” Fahr screamed. Stunned into silence, everyone turned to look at the redhead. “Thank god,” she said. “Now I can hear myself think. Fucking idiots,” she muttered. Then she turned to Grace. “You,” she said, “need to get your head out of your ass.”

“Fahr,” Hancock said warningly.

“Oh shut the fuck up, Hancock,” she said, looking back at Grace. “I don’t know who you were before you came here, but out here… you don’t run shit. Frankly, you ain’t shit, Vaultie.” Grace glared at her, but Fahr just looked her up and down. “Yeah, you can handle yourself with a pistol, I’ll give you that, but you are a grade-A fucking moron if you think you’re going up against something like that by yourself. You wanna go out there by your lonesome and get yourself killed? Fine- that’s no sweat off my back. But then you’re gonna end up getting my dad killed because he’s gonna run after you trying to save your dumb ass. Then Nick’s prolly coming to try and save both of you fuckwits, and Mac ain’t gonna be far behind, and I’m out everyone I care about… all because you decided to be a _dumb bitch_.”

Piper turned to Hancock and mouthed ‘_dad_’? Resigned, Hancock just nodded. _Just when he thought karma was bullshit, it showed up to bite him in the ass._

Fahr looked at Piper. "The reporter might be the only one with some goddamn sense, but since she’s somehow here listening to this shit, I doubt it. So, use your brain and make a goddamn plan, Vaultie- take advantage of your resources.” She gave Grace a murderous look. “Cause if you get him hurt I’m going to fuck up your world, you hear me?” She huffed and ran her hands through her mohawk. “So what the fuck do we know? How do we stop one of those motherfuckers?”

Piper looked thoughtful. “I think we need someone who’s familiar with the institute. I've heard rumblings about a group that is trying to take them on." The reporter scanned the room. "Does anyone know anything about the railroad?”

Hancock and Fahr looked at each other- He and Fahr had heard about one of their idiots hanging about town for a minute. After a moment, Fahr nodded. “Yeah, we've seen one of their moron spies hanging around the Memory Den lately. Thinks we don’t notice, but he ain’t causin’ trouble so I haven’t cornered him yet.”

Hancock rubbed his temples. “That moron still around?” Fahr nodded. True, the railroad was the epitome of an organization full of fuck-ups, but considering what he and Sunshine were proposing, any information was better than nothing. He hadn’t seen the guy himself, but if Fahr hadn’t murdered him, it was a safe bet he was harmless. “Can you get him to Doc Amari's in the morning?” He paused, amending his previous statement. “_Alive_, Fahr. Can you get him there _alive_."

She grinned. “You’re no fun.”  


_ _

* * *

After the shitshow of a meeting, Piper and Nick went off to the Hotel Rexford. Nick was going to stay in the spare room, but Piper insisted she needed protection in Goodneighbor, causing Fahr and Hancock to roll their eyes. She started to ask if she could room with me, but Hancock’s hand had moved dangerously close to his knife at that point, and Nick wisely offered to share a room with the reporter, pledging his service to her for the night. MacCready just shook his head as he walked out with them, promising to meet us in the morning. I was thankful to have everyone there, but my head was a whirlwind- between our upcoming plans and the events of the day, I was a mess.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Hancock and I were alone- he smiled at me. “You able to talk yet?”

I blushed. “Yeah, about that… We should probably take this conversation upstairs.” He nodded and took my hand, leading me up the staircase and stopping at his room. I chuckled and shook my head. “Do I even have my own room anymore?”

His smile fell a little, and he paused in the doorway. “Do you want your own room?” 

I touched his cheek softly. “Like I said, home is where you are, John.” I walked in, gesturing for him to come inside. “And if this is where you want me, then this is where I’ll be.”

"It’s always where I want you, Sunshine," he said, his smile returning as he entered the room, taking off his coat and slinging it over the nearby chair. "Thought I told you that already."

“Yeah about that,” I said, twisting my fingers between my hands. “I think we need to have a chat about something you may have mentioned a bit earlier.”

Hancock placed one hand on his hip and the other at the top of the closet doorframe as he stared at me, silhouetting himself in the moonlight. “Well, let’s take showers and figure it out afterward,” he said. “I love you and all, but I’d rather not smell you tonight, given the option.”

“I hate you,” I said, but I was grinning. “Now I have to go down the hall and get my shit.” He shook his head and pulled out a bag from the closet, which contained the clothes I had left in my room. “Wait, they’re in your room? And they’re clean?”

“Perks of being the mayor, Sunshine.” He winked. "Still hate me?”

“Depends. Let me take that shower and I’ll get back to you.”  
—  
I did not hate him after my shower. Something about being clean and grime-free put me in a much better mood. The half-naked man waiting for me in the bed didn’t hurt, either.

Hancock was waiting in the bed, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, staring up at the ceiling. When I entered the room, he propped himself up on his elbow and stared at me. “You know, since you seem to be all immune to the rads, maybe we should take the next one together, huh? No sense in wasting the water, right?”

“You’re just trying to get me naked, John.” I slid into bed and curled up next to him.

He grinned. “Is it working?”

“Maybe.” I kissed him, smelling his soap and tasting the remnants of Mentats on his tongue. “But first, you owe me one helluva explanation.”

“Do I?” He kissed my neck, and I bit my lip as his hands moved under my shirt, slowly raising it above my head and tossing it to the side. I gasped as the breeze in the room hit me, passing over the leftover water droplets peppering my skin and making my nipples stand at attention. His eyes widened and darkened, tinted with eagerness as he began to move his head down, kissing a trail down to my cleavage. Finally, he reached my tattoo and began to slowly trace the lines with his tongue, his fingers brushing the tops of my breast and making me arch back.

“Should I stop?” he asked, head peering up between my breasts and rolling the tips back and forth with his fingers.

“Goddamn you, John,” I gasped. “You don’t play fair."

“Never have,” he agreed, lowering his mouth and gently nibbling on one of my nipples. I bit back a large moan, biting my lip and feeling his hand move lower… and lower. He slipped his hand inside my underwear and ran his fingers up and down the outside of my lower lips, knowingly driving me insane with anticipation.

Grinning wickedly, he moved his head to give the other side the attention it deserved. My hands clutched the sheets, doing my best not to scream as he proceeded to dip his fingers inside and out, gently flicking me with each stroke. I closed my eyes, relishing the sensation- it had been so long…

He raised his head, hand still playing me like a piano, watching me as I blushed bright red with ecstasy. “Still mine, Sunshine?”

Ordinarily, I may have bitched about claimed, but now? His words sent shivers down my spine, letting him know exactly how I felt at that moment. I was his- there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that this was right where I was supposed to be. He pinched the tiny pearl between his fingers and I almost lost it right then and there- waves after wave of pleasure was sending my body into spasms.

Hancock didn’t move- he just sat there, watching. “I told you that when I was gonna have you, you’d know,” he said, leaning down to whisper in my ear, "And I’ve been waiting a long time to see this.”

He leaned back, using his free hand to tilt my face to his as he nipped at my bottom lip. “This is mine, Sunshine... always,” he whispered, hooking his fingers around my underwear and slid them down my legs, leaving me completely exposed in his bed. He straddled me, staring down at my naked body, eyes drinking me in. “You’re gorgeous,” he breathed.

I squirmed under his gaze. “Glad you think so,” I said. “Most guys didn’t find the mixed girl all that special. I was too dark, too light, too fat, too skinny, too curvy, too straight… Wasn’t anyone’s type- I never fit. ”

He gently pinned my arms above my head with one hand to stop me from moving while his other trailed down the length of my body. “That’s because you were meant for me, Sunshine- everyone else was a fucking moron.” He slowly released my arms and began to plant soft kisses all over my body, slowly dipping his head lower and lower till it disappeared between my thighs.

I gasped, unprepared for the added sensation of his tongue parting my lips, tasting me as if I was a fine wine to be sampled. He could feel my body tightening around his tongue as I prepared to reach my climax. “Let go,” he said, his voice muffled and vibrating against me. “I want to see you.”

_Well, since you asked so nicely._

Trying not to wake the entire house, I turned my head into the pillow, letting out a scream that had been threatening to escape for the longest time. Hancock didn’t care about me being quiet- he kept going, fingers and tongue dancing inside and out with the rhythm of my climax. Losing all restraint, I dug my nails into his shoulders and clenched my thighs around his face, terrified I was going to suffocate him but also not caring in the slightest.

When my body stopped shaking, he raised his head, eyes bright with lust, shaking his head. “And I get to have this for the rest of my life?” He smiled. “Sounds like this marriage thing comes with some perks, huh?”

He moved to pull down his shorts and I stared at him, transfixed as he stood in front of me. “Here I am,” he said. “No frills or fancy fixtures.” If I didn’t know him so well, I’d have never caught the slight tremor in his voice. “Still want me?”

I propped myself on my elbows, a smile playing on my lips. “If I can get it for the rest of my life, then yes,” I said. “Come here,” I said, reaching out for his hands and pulling him into my arms, “you are mine, John Hancock... for as long as you want.”

He moved to lean over my trembling body, poised just outside and ready to enter. “Like I said... you were made for me, Sunshine,” he said, slowly pushing down and making me cry out in surprise as he entered me.

He was right when he said we fit- sex with Hancock was like nothing I had ever experienced. It was as if he was made perfectly for me- anything I wanted, he did and every stroke sent wave after wave of pleasure through me. I clung to his back like a drowning victim as we moved together, scared I’d come and be carried off to sea if I didn’t hold onto him.

I could feel the orgasm building again and so could he- instead of going faster, he slowed down, making me wait for the release he teased me with. When I cried out with frustration, he paused, resting inside me and leaned into my ear. “Slow down, Grace... I want to share this with you.”

“Then do it, John.” I panted.

Hancock had pulled me off the bed and towards him- his head was buried in my neck, fingers splayed through my hair. I could feel the warmth from his body pressed against mine, making me feel like we were burning up together in the most pleasurable inferno imaginable. Our bodies were slick with sweat, and I was pulling him into me, wrapping my legs around him to remove any trace of space between us. At that moment, I realized why Hancock took Jet- I wanted nothing more than to freeze time and stay here like this for all eternity.  
  
I was so glad that no one had stayed with us tonight- they would have heard everything. To be honest, I wasn’t sure that they couldn’t hear us outside- I had lost all reservations by that point. I didn’t know how to think- he had me coming unglued at the seams the deeper he went. It was as if he was trying to bury himself in me, and I was more than happy to let him try.

Soon, I couldn’t take it anymore- I felt the telltale tingle creeping through my body and I wanted to both run away and cling to him at the same time. Sensing me squirming, he wrapped his arms around me as I screamed, letting loose in a flood all over him. This set him off- Hancock followed suit, releasing and letting his heat and wetness permeate my body.

Afterward, we collapsed in a hot, sticky heap on the bed, panting as if we had run a marathon. “Yep,” I said.

He brushed the sticky curls off my face. “Yep what?”

“You said I’d remember it. You’re right- I am not forgetting that anytime soon. Five out of five- will definitely return.”

He chuckled and twisted a sticky curl between his fingers. “That’s good, all things considered. Be kinda awkward if you wouldn’t.”

“So, just to clarify, now that we aren’t clamoring to get our rocks off,” I said, turning to him, “what the hell was that today?”

He pulled my body close to him- it was odd, resting against him for once with nothing between us. “You were there- you heard it.” He nuzzled my neck and I closed my eyes. “You got a really bad habit of needing me to repeat things for you, Sunshine.”

I opened my eyes, feeling emotionally splashed with cold water. “You meant it?” I stared at him. “What you told Piper… you meant that?”

“Course I did. When have I ever said something to you I didn’t mean?” My eyes widened, and he laughed quietly. “Sunshine- I ain’t plannin’ on lettin’ you go. It’s you and me out here, and if it takes finding a new ring to put on that finger of yours for you to get the hint, then that’s what I’m doing.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want you doing that,” I said. Before he could protest, I continued. “Don’t do that because you think it’s what I want you to do- I’ve already had a guy try to save me by marrying me. We both know that didn’t turn out well.” I gently traced my finger across his cheek, stopping on his lip- he nipped my finger and I squealed, poking him in the chest. “I want you, John, but I want you happy more.”

“Sunshine, don’t take this the wrong way,” he said, laughing that deep throaty laugh that warmed every nerve ending in my body, “but you are a goddamn mess.” I stared at him, openmouthed, and he laughed, gently closing my jaw with his fingers. “How is it that anytime you make a decision, it’s so well thought out and the right thing to do, but the moment I tell you something, you think I don’t have a goddamn clue what I’m doing, huh?”

I stammered- I had no response to his question, and he knew it. He kissed me to stop me from floundering and laughed at me again. "Sunshine, when are you gonna learn that you don’t know everything?”  
He traced the lines of my lips with his fingers- I considered biting him in retribution, but smiled instead, giving him new shapes to trace. “I know what happened to you before, but that don’t make what I want any less important, does it?”

“You-“

“Want that, yes. I’m about to go on a crazy-ass mission to kill something that prolly can’t be killed because I want you to get back what matters most to you. If I’m gonna do that, you better believe it’s for the woman I’m spending the rest of my life with.”

I smirked. “So, by that logic, how do the rest of the crew fit in?”

“Fuck ‘em- they can’t have you,” he said, burying his head into my neck- I laughed. “You’re all mine, Sunshine,” he said, whispering into my ear.

_Mine_. It was so weird to hear it, but I smiled to myself every time he said it just the same. “So…John,” I said. “Just so I’m clear… did you just propose to me?”

He thought about it for a moment. “If I did, what would you say?”

“That it would be a really shitty proposal if I didn’t know you were doing it,” I said, wrapping my arms around him and tickling the back of his neck with my fingers. “I don’t need a fancy ring and stuff, but I’d kinda like to know that it’s happening so I can be properly appreciative.”

“Fair enough. When I do it, you’ll know,” he said simply, kissing me on the forehead.

_ _

* * *

Hancock felt amazing as he stood on the balcony, smoking a cigarette. Though the evening had almost gone completely to shit, it had ended on a damn fine note. Grace was fast asleep- the girl was splayed out on the bed, naked and tangled in the sheet. The leg that was previously draped across him was resting on his side of the bed, and her arm was clutching his pillow. He knew he’d have to wake her up to get back in the bed, but it wasn’t the worst thing- after her brief rest, she might want to make another go of it. _Hell, he certainly wouldn’t mind._

Hancock inhaled the cigarette, relishing the taste of the nicotine on his tongue as he exhaled, blowing smoke rings into the night sky.

_Do I really get to have this for the rest of my life?_

With the way his world revolved around Grace, he knew that she was his sun- he couldn’t picture his life without her in it. When Grace asked him if he meant what he’d said in Diamond City, asked him if he was proposing, he'd sort of thought he was... till she pointed out he hadn’t. He’d hoped that once he said that he wanted to marry her, it would be as simple as that. But, like anything else with her, it was never that easy. He was hers without question and everyone knew it- hell, even Fahr had known it. That was a whole kettle of fish Hancock knew he needed to deal with, but it could come later... if there was a later. 

Hancock didn’t have a clue what went into proposing to someone- to be fair, the topic was never of very much interest to him before. He’d probably have to ask Nick or Daisy what he should do- they were from her time, so they might have some ideas. As far as he was concerned, the only thing that mattered to him was staying by Grace’s side for the rest of his days- the rest was just filler. However, if it made her feel better, he’d do it and he’d do it right- he was only doing it once, and half-measures were never his style, after all.

Grace let out a soft snore, and the noise made Hancock immediately decide that he’d rather spend the rest of the night having Grace wrapped around him instead of smoking out on the balcony alone. Dawn was coming too quickly for his taste- he knew when it did, they would all have to get ready to face whatever horrors the commonwealth was prepared to toss at them. Hancock decided his time would be better spent going to go back to bed and enjoying the company of the woman he loved.

He could worry about everything else later.


	20. Railroaded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace follows the freedom trail in order to get some answers

_ _

* * *

Morning came earlier than I would have preferred.

True to his word, Hancock marched me straight to Doc Amari’s office as soon as we woke up. Granted, we had to all go there anyway, but I really would have preferred to at least get breakfast before I got poked and prodded by the doctor. When I pointed this out to Hancock, he got a grin on his face like a twelve-year old boy and politely informed me that I had already been well-poked and prodded, so this shouldn’t make a difference.

Since I had no rebuttal other than blushing, the argument ended with Hancock and I standing at the entrance to the Memory Den in front of a pissed off Doc Amari. I noticed that our meeting like this was quickly becoming a regular occurrence- at this rate, the woman was going to kill me herself just to keep me out of her clinic.

“Mayor… Grace… to what do I owe the pleasure this time?” She eyed us each suspiciously. “I get the feeling that this isn’t a social call.”

Hancock pushed past the doc, dragging me inside the clinic. “Got an issue we need your help with, Doc.”

Amari huffed and closed the door, obviously irritated by his brusqueness. “When don’t you, Mayor?” Amari was curt, narrowing her eyes at Hancock and folding her arms as she walked into her office. “Did I miss the part when I became your own personal medic?”

“Oh come off it, Doc.” Hancock scanned the space, checking for others. When he was satisfied it was just the three of us, he closed the door. “We have an issue with Grace.”

She rolled her eyes. “Again, when don’t-“

He cut her off. “Looks like she’s immune to the rads, Doc.”

_This_ gave the doctor pause- she stared at him blankly as he gestured to my Pip Boy. “Went out to the Glowing Sea and she’s not hot at all. Even with the suit and the drugs, she should still have a shit-ton of rads in her system, but that doodad on her arm says that she’s fit as a fiddle.” He looked at me with concern and turned back to the doctor. “Thought someone smarter than me should check it out.”

The doctor frowned, pursing her thin lips. “Is this true, Grace?”

When I nodded, she guided me over to a gurney and instructed me to hop up. Hancock found a seat in a chair nearby, grabbing a mentat from his tin- I guess he wanted to make sure he didn’t miss a thing. To be fair, he’d have a point- damn near every time I was in this office, something went wrong.

She grabbed a device from a shelf and began to approach me with it, but Hancock stopped her. “Hold up, Doc- what’s that you got there?”

She held the instrument out for him to see. “It’s a Geiger counter, which is a little more accurate than her Pip-Boy. If they both offer a similar readout, we can confirm the issue is with Grace, not the equipment.”

“Hey, I’m not necessarily seeing this as an issue, you know,” I said cheekily. Hancock glared at me and I swallowed. “But we still need to check it out, of course,” I said sullenly as she ran the device up and down my body. I was expecting to hear beeps and shrieks, but the device just hummed as if we had done nothing but turn it on.

Doc Amari looked at the readings in amazement, then at me, and then back at Hancock. “Come here, Mayor. I need a control subject.” He got up from the chair and headed over to her, and extended his arms as she went over him with the device. Unlike me, Hancock caused the machine to emit soft pings. The two looked at each other, and then turned to look at me again. "And you say she was in the Glowing Sea… without radiation shielding?”

Hancock nodded. “The idiot took the suit off to go pee, and when I tried to dose her with Rad-Away, I noticed she wasn’t collecting rads… at all.” He shook his head. “Damndest thing I’d ever seen, Doc. Figured I’d get her in here when we got back so you could take a look at her.” He stared at the doc for a moment. “But I want to keep this hush hush for now, clear?”

Doctor Amari had quickly lost some of her chilly demeanor- she was already prepping syringes to take a blood sample. “I understand, Mayor. Word of this getting out could be highly unsafe for her- people might get ideas...”

“Last thing we need is some institute bastard coming after her or some jackass thinking Sunshine here is a synth,” Hancock said as he glanced at the doctor prepping tests for me. “You gonna be a minute, doc? I’m thinking I should grab us all some breakfast before the others show up.” His implication was clear- _finish this shit quickly and make sure no one else sees you._

The doctor nodded and Hancock rose to leave, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek as he left the office.

_ _

* * *

While he was ordering food, MacCready stumbled up to the bar, bleary eyed. “What the he- heck, Mayor? Why are you up so dang early?” He looked around the bar, and offered the mayor a sleepy grin. “Where’s Princess? Didn’t know you could move without her attached to your hip,” he joked.

“Even this early, you’re an asshole, kid,” Hancock said, sliding the merc a cup of coffee, who took it and chugged it gratefully. “She’s at the Memory Den already.”

MacCready raised his eyebrow. “Pretty early to be over there… everything all right?”

Hancock dismissed his concerns quickly. “Yeah, just a workup. Glowing sea, remember?”

The kid nodded. “Yeah, wouldn’t want her growing an extra arm or somethin’.” He went back to his cup, inhaling the aroma and taking a long sip. “This tastes like sh-crud, but right now it’s even better than sex,” he said happily. “Thanks kindly, Mayor."

“I don’t know about that one, kid,” Hancock said, chuckling. “But you’re welcome regardless.” He gestured to the food spread out on the bar. “Got a minute to help me get all this shit over there?”

The kid grinned, a bit more awake after the caffeine and the company. “Depends. Do I get more coffee?”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“Then I’ll just make sure that I carry the pot with me, then,” he said, winking. Hancock laughed, starting to pile the kid’s arms with as many of the packages as he could carry.

Just when Hancock was about to grab the rest, he heard a throat clear behind him, and he sighed. When he turned around, he found himself face to face with Piper and Nick.

“If it isn’t my favorite detective,” he said, pointedly ignoring the reporter. “Surprised to see you in here this early.”

It was Nick’s turn to sigh. “Morning, John.” He gestured to the food in front of Hancock and MacCready. “We came to get breakfast, but it looks like you have that all handled. Mighty nice of you,” he said, staring hard at Piper. “Need some help?”

“Won’t turn it down. Fahr should be over at the den in a minute, and I don’t necessarily want her and Sunshine hangin’ out on an empty stomach. Someone’s liable to get hurt,” he said with a laugh. “Figured I should bring everyone food since it might be a long morning.”

“How nice, bringing your _daughter_ and your _fiancé_ food,” Piper said pointedly. “You’re a right gentleman, you are,” she said mockingly.

MacCready’s face looked like he’d just won the lottery. “Whoa, time out,” he said, making a T with his hands. “Back up a sec, Pipes. What did you say?”

“Oh, you missed that one?” Piper smiled and crossed her arms. “The mayor here is settling down, apparently. With Blue,” she said angrily.

The kid turned to Hancock, eyebrows almost in his hat at this point. “I’d watch it, Pipes- you sound a bit twitchy over there.” MacCready said, tweaking the reporter’s nose. “I mean, I’m not knocking you giving the mayor guff at all-“

“Gee thanks, what a friend you are,” Hancock said dryly.

“Think nothing of it,” he said jokingly. “But... I do want to know more about what she was talking about.” He peered out over the packages in his arms. “Got something you care to explain, Mayor?”

Hancock glared at Mac. “I ain’t done nothin’ to explain yet,” he said grumpily, causing the kid and Nick to chuckle.

“Good, let’s hope he keeps it that way,” Piper huffed. “Cause that’s exactly what Blue needs, a junkie mayor helping to raise her kid,” she said. “We all see what a paragon his first kid-“

“Stop it... now,” MacCready said quickly- all the mirth was gone from his voice. “Your mouth is about to write a check your butt can’t cash.” He glared at the reporter. “Look, say what you want about the mayor, but you leave Fahr out of this- that’s a whole kettle of fish you don’t know anything about, so don’t go around pretending like you do.”

The reporter went silent, but Hancock stood there, fuming. “Move your asses- food’s gettin’ cold.” He snatched a few items off the bar and started to walk off. “You idiots can get the rest,” he snarled, walking off in a huff.

_ _

* * *

Mac looked at the others as Hancock stormed off. “Well, that went well. He’s going to be _amazing_ to talk to today, don’t you think?”

Piper began to grab some of the remaining items from the bar. “He didn’t have any problems telling _me_ all about it, wonder why’s he so touchy now?”

The two men just looked at her. “You.. cannot be that dense, Pipes,” MacCready said. “Like, you're one of the best reporters out here, and you mean to tell me that you honestly can’t figure out why that man might want to rip your head off your body right now?” He let out a whistle as they prepared to leave the bar. “If it weren’t for Princess, I think he may have actually killed you back there.”

Piper’s eyes were wide- Nick sighed, gathering the last of the items Hancock had purchased and prepared to leave the bar. “You told him he wasn’t good enough for her, Pipes. Not only did you insult his kid, but you also implied that he shouldn’t be around Gracie’s. Which,” the detective said sternly, “is ironic, since he’s literally laid his life on the line to help her find him more than once. To me that sounds exactly like what a parent would do. Hell, I’d have a bug up my ass after hearing that, too."

Piper looked at the boys as they exited the bar and headed towards the den. “But.. I wasn’t... I didn’t mean-“

MacCready just looked at her. “How do you think the Princess is gonna feel about this?” She paled and he shook his head. “You’ve been ragging on the man since day one, Pipes- just let it go and be quiet for once, please?” He looked at Nick, trying to change the subject- unpleasantness really wasn’t his thing. “So, the mayor’s gonna actually do it, huh? Never thought I’d see the day.”

Nick sighed, weary of the entire conversation- it was like herding cats. “I’m inclined to leave John’s love life out of this for now. How about the rest of you do the same?"

The merc and the reporter fell silent as they shuffled along behind the detective and made their way to the Memory Den.

_ _

* * *

This breakfast was about as fun as a funeral- Hancock was staring at Piper like he wanted to stab her on the spot, Piper looked like she wanted to fall through the floor, Mac was perfectly silent for a change, and Nick looked like if synths got migraines, he’d have all of them… at once.

“You guys all look like another world war is about to jump off at any point in time- what the fuck happened out there?” I wondered aloud, staring at my friends. “Anyone care to tell me what’s going on here before Fahrenheit and her prisoner come in here?”

No one answered me- I sucked my teeth, highly frustrated. “So everyone’s gonna sit here and act like nothing’s wrong, huh?” I looked at everyone in the room. “Hey, if someone doesn’t speak up, I’m gonna start calling folks the fuck out.”

MacCready was the first to speak. “Mayor, you wanna-“

Piper went pale and Hancock glared. “Shut up, kid,” Then he turned to me. “Nothing’s wrong, Sunshine... just let it go,” he said, patting my hand absentmindedly.

I gave him a look. “This-“ I said, gesturing around the room, “does not even look remotely close to ‘nothing’. I’ve been stuck in here all morning- the least you can do is tell me why all my friends look like they want to murder each other.” Mac snorted and I grinned. “Well, more than usual anyway,” I clarified.

“Like I said, Sunshine- nothing for you to worry about.” Hancock smiled thinly. “I’m just gonna go have a smoke and get ready for all this. Back in a bit,” he said, kissing my forehead and leaving the room.

I stared at Nick as Hancock left, mouth open and silently wondering what the hell had just happened, but the detective didn’t respond- he simply sighed and went back to his drink. With no other options available, I was about to get up and go after Hancock when I saw Piper leave the room.

_Well, shit- that’s new._

_ _

* * *

Hancock stood on the side of the building, smoking and fuming about earlier. When Grace had asked him what was going on, he couldn’t find anything to say- _Oh, nothing much... I’m just a shitty choice for a husband is all, sorry you’ve hitched your wagon to me?_ So instead of saying something that might upset her, he just left- it was easier that way.

The worst part of the whole thing was that he couldn’t dispute the accusations from the reporter- Fahr was questionable at the best of times and he definitely wasn’t winning any awards for father of the year. He knew what he wanted, how he felt, and that Grace loved him, but even he had to admit that from the outside looking in, he was a piss-poor choice for someone like her.

He leaned his head against the stone and closed his eyes, trying to get his thoughts in order when he heard footsteps next to him. He opened an eye and stared in surprise as Piper stood next to him, hands in her pocket and eyes at her feet.

He took a deep drag on the cigarette, trying to stay calm in Piper’s presence. Then, more out of habit more than anything else, he offered the cigarette to the reporter. He fully expected a scowl and a snarky retort, but to his surprise, she took it and inhaled, closing her eyes.

Hancock crossed his arms. “You out here to finish the job? Needed to tell me again how shitty of a person I am?”

“No, I came to talk to you. And apologize,” she said quietly. “I didn’t mean-“

“Save it, Wright- I know what you meant. You ain’t wrong, though.” He kicked a rock nearby, watching it clatter down the street. “I ain’t good enough for her,” he said, shrugging. “Ain’t like I don’t know it, but I’m gonna do my damndest to do right by her anyway.” He glared at Piper. “Even when folks like you don’t think I can.”

“You were serious? You weren’t just fucking with me?” Piper looked up, surprised. “You actually want to be with her?” She shook her head. “Never thought I’d see the day when the mayor of Goodneighbor decided it was time to settle down and raise a family.”

“Correction- I don’t _want_ to be with her... I _am_ with her,” he said pointedly. She offered him the cigarette back and he took it. “Despite what you might think, I’m here as long as she wants me to be. Just gotta figure out how to tell her, is all,” he mumbled.

“You mean how to propose, I assume.” He scowled and took a puff on the cigarette as she nodded with understanding. “Usually teasing her friends with it ain’t the best way to go about it, Hancock.” Piper put her hands on her hips and looked thoughtful for a moment. “But all jokes aside- why her?”

“Just is,” Hancock said, unwilling to discuss it with the reporter. “But you bustin’ my balls every chance you get ain’t gonna change it.”

“Look, Hancock,” she said, shuffling her feet and trying to avoid what she knew she had to say. “I’m sorry about what I said back there. It’s just… I don’t want to see her hurt, is all. I don’t have too many friends-“

“I can see why.” It was her turn to scowl at him but Hancock shrugged, unmoved.

“What? We’re supposed to be friends now cause you had a moment of sense and apologized?” He shook his head. “Nah, that ain’t likely, Wright- you’re always in everyone’s business and you think you’re right all the time.” He sighed. “But Sunshine likes you, so I gotta keep you safe no matter what, even if you are a pain in my ass. But you damn well better remember that she-“ he cocked his thumb towards the Memory Den- “comes first, always. The only reason you’re still breathin’ right now is because she’d never forgive me if something happened to you.”

He finished the cigarette and crushed the butt under his boot. “Great chatting with ya, though... glad we cleared all that up.” Hancock gently clapped her on the shoulder. “Now we can forget this morning ever happened and just go back to actively ignoring each other.”

_ _

* * *

I was about to start worrying for Piper’s safety when Hancock came back into the Memory Den. By this time, Fahr had already shown up and was balancing food on her combat knife. Hancock noticed her choice of utensils and looked at the girl, face still tense. “Any word?”

Fahr nodded, “Yep. Should be here soon.” She went back to spearing a tato on the tip of her blade and nibbling on it. “Thanks for the spread,” she said to Hancock. “If this is what happens, maybe we should hold morning interrogations more often."

“Not likely,” he said, sitting down next to me. Tentatively, I started rubbing his shoulders and he visibly relaxed, allowing himself to draw closer to me.

“That feels amazing,” he said, leaning back into my hands as I pressed into his neck with my thumbs. “Why haven’t you done this before, Sunshine?” He let out a soft groan as my fingers found a knot and started to work it out.

“You didn’t look like you were about to nuke your town before,” I said. “Figured you could use it right about now."

“Fuck me sideways,” Fahr muttered as she glanced over at us. “Stop thinking with your dick and get a goddamn grip, Hancock- here he comes,” she said, peering into the doorway as Piper walked back into the room with a guy following behind her.

“Thanks for the ever so polite breakfast invite, Red,” said a familiar voice that I couldn’t quite place. When he got closer, I squinted at the man, trying to remember where I knew him from- overall, he was a pretty nondescript guy with a baseball cap and... mirrored sunglasses.

_Fuck. Me. Twice._

“_YOU_!” I screamed, trying to leap over the couch- Hancock grabbed me around my waist and pulled hard to keep me in place. “I’m gonna kick your goddamn ass, you ignorant sonofabitch!”

Mac looked astonished, jumping in front of the new guy. “What the he-heck, Princess? What gives?”

“That’s the bastard from Diamond City,” I growled, and everyone turned to look at the new guy. He wasn’t wearing the uniform anymore, but everything else was exactly the same. “I promised him I was gonna tear him a new asshole and _I_ _meant it_. John, if you love me, you will let me go so I can go ham on his ass _right fucking now!_”

“Ok, I may actually like her a little bit,” Fahr said, letting out a whistle- Hancock glared at her. “_What_? It’s funny!” she said under her breath.

Hancock eyed Nick- the detective nodded and Hancock let me go. I barreled towards the guy, but Nick caught me. “_Let me go!_” I howled.

“Sorry, Gracie, no dice- I’m not letting you at the man, so calm down before you blow a gasket there, sweetheart.” He turned to the new guy. “What’s your name?“

“You can call me Deacon,” he drawled, scanning the room. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of all these lovely death threats for breakfast?”

"Everyone knows you’re the one dropping this railroad shit all over town, and I also know you’re working with the Doc,” Fahr said, staring at Doc Amari- the doc wisely turned away. “So cut the shit, Deacon- you know why you’re here. We need to find the Railroad.”

Deacon smiled. “Congrats, you can put things together. Good for you.” He folded his arms across his chest and leaned on the doorframe. “So what does that have to do with me?"

“Keep fucking with me and I’ll have Nick turn her loose,” Fahr snarled.

Deacon looked at me and paled a bit. “I’ve been keeping an eye that one for awhile. She seems to be a little... wound up.”

Hancock glared at the man while I seethed and kicked, still trying to get to Deacon. “I’m inclined to agree with you, Fahr. What’s the deal with you sniffing around my girl?”

Deacon shrugged but moved further behind MacCready. “She’s been causing a ruckus in the Commonwealth. Figured she’d be someone we might want to know, considering she risked her life for a synth and a...” he eyed me nervously and took a step back, reconsidering what he was about to say. “...You.”

Nick glanced at me- I was still fuming but I had stopped trying to catapult myself at the man. “If I let you go, do you promise to not murder the spy, Gracie?”

I clenched my teeth. “_Fine_,” I said angrily. “But he says one wrong word and I’m shooting him.”

The kid shook his head. “Definitely your lady, Mayor.” He went to my side and deftly plucked the magnum from my waistband. “I’ll just hold onto this for safekeeping till we leave, Princess.”

“I hate you,” I said, pouting and flopping down on the couch next to Hancock, who was chuckling softly.

“Anyway,” Hancock said, composing himself, “like Fahr said, we know you’re with the Railroad. We need to get some information on the Institute- figured the Railroad was our best bet.” He tented his fingers and stared at Deacon. “What can you do for us?”

“Nothing much, at least not till you can prove you’re a friend to the cause,” he said. “We got too many people depending on us to be spilling secrets like water in a leaky glass.” He grabbed a roll and I watched him carefully, fighting the urge to shove it down his throat. “Tell you what- if you can find us, I’ll vouch for you. That’s the best I can do.”

“Or I could just shoot you- that’s the best _I_ can do,” Fahr said plainly. I grinned wickedly and she smirked back at me.

Mac rolled his eyes. “So that’s what it takes to get them to get along? Mention murder and the two finally play nice?” He looked at Deacon and tried again. “Look dude... these women want your a-butt on a plate. I’d give them something if I were you.”

Deacon sighed. “All I can tell you is ‘follow the freedom trail.’ If you can actually manage to do that, I’m sure the Railroad can help you out. If you can’t be bothered to find us, then we can’t be bothered to help you.”

“I really want Fahr to shoot him,” I grumbled. “Please? Pretty please?” Fahr walked over and slyly extended her palm and I gave her a low five- Nick shook his head, and the two of us groaned.

“What’s to just stop us from following you?” Piper asked. _Good question- glad someone was thinking._

“Because I think you have more important things to do than to go on the wild goose chase I would most certainly send you on,” Deacon said with a grin. “Would be a much better use of your time to go ahead and get on with what you need to do."

_Fuck- he was right. _We didn't have the time to chase him all over Boston.

"Fine,” I said, standing up- Deacon immediately moved back and Fahr grinned. “Let’s go play tourist, shall we?”

  
—

Fahr stayed back to keep an eye on the town, though I could see that she was huffy about it. The girl had gotten a glimpse of excitement and wanted to travel with us. Surprisingly, I wouldn’t have minded the company and the extra gun, but we were a rather large troop by this point and Goodneighbor needed the protection far more than I. However, when we finally went to look for the Courser, I might rethink that opinion- I was pretty sure the redhead could murder it with just a look.

Piper looked at the rest of us as we stood at the gates, preparing to leave. “So, where are we going, Blue?” She adjusted her press hat and fiddled with her sleeves as the wind started to pick up. “Any clues on what he meant back there?”

I groaned. “He’s an idiot,” I said simply, turning to Hancock. “I can see why you called them morons. That dipshit wants to make us traipse all over North End, but the end of the Freedom Trail is Old North Church. I took a tour of it when I first came to Boston.” I almost said that I was making sure that history here was the same as it was at home, but I since I couldn’t say that to anyone but Hancock, I kept my mouth shut.

Hancock just stared at me, no doubt curious and putting things together in his head, but wise enough to not ask me anything in present company. “I trust you, Sunshine- you say that’s where we go, then that’s what we do.” He turned to Nick. “This sound right to you, too?”

Nick shrugged. “I didn’t pay that much attention to it, to be honest. Wasn’t much of a history buff till I realized I’d be it,” he said good-naturedly. “But it doesn’t sound wrong, either.” He turned to Piper. “You know you can’t publish the location, right?”

She looked hurt, but played it off. “Of course! But I can definitely talk about how we found them and worked with them to bring down the Institute! It’s going to be amazing!” She rubbed her hands together in glee. “I’ve missed this, Blue- all of us taking on the world… Makes me feel like I’m doing something out here.”

Hancock smirked, and I noticed that she didn’t exclude him as she usually did. “Well, ain’t never turnin’ down folk lookin’ to help. You got a gun in that bag of yours or are you just haulin’ a bunch of paper, Wright?”

“I got enough paper to write a novel and enough bullets to stop a horde,” she said simply. “That good enough for you?" He gave her an approving nod and I chuckled, glad that they were actually being cordial with each other.

“Mac, you ready?” I asked. "I know we left you on the back-burner for a minute- you still know how to use that gun over there?"

Mac grinned. “Better than you, Princess. Plus I know how to read a map- how you doin’ on that front?” I stuck my tongue out at him and he cackled.

“If you all are finished,” Nick said, rolling his eyes. “I think it’s time we head out. That church ain’t gonna find itself, you know."

—  
Our little group trudged along towards the North End- MacCready and Piper were in the back, Hancock had taken point, but Nick and I were lagging behind a little. The detective seemed a little short-tempered and I was concerned- it wasn’t like him. “Nick?” I asked tentatively, "You got a minute?”

The detective turned to me, surprised. “For you, always.” He reached over and gave me a hug, looking a little less serious for the moment. "What’s on your mind, Gracie?”

I thought about it for a moment. “You seem a little in your head, Nick. Something on your mind?”

“Well, yeah, now that you mention it,” he said. "Been thinking on something since you got out of the doc’s chair."

I paused as a shiver went down my spine at the memory. “What about?”

“Memories, I guess,” he shrugged. “Just feel like there’s some unfinished business that I have to handle.” He stopped and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.

"I’m worried, Nick,” I bit my lip. “I care about you- I just want to make sure you’re ok.” He gave me a look and I put my hands on my hips. “I mean it- you take care of all of us… of me. You’ve been amazing throughout all of this, so don’t hesitate to ask me for help.” I swung my leg and swept the dirt by my feet. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

“Gracie, it’s my job to worry about you, not the other way around.” He smiled and gave me a hug, letting out a soft chuckle. “Besides… you and John got this. This old synth is just backup."

I laughed. “Nick, you are never just the backup. I think this crew would have imploded a long time ago without you.”

“If it’ll make you feel better, we can take it up after we handle our business with these folks, huh?” He took a drag on the cigarette and stared out into the city. “We gotta get your boy back first.”

“Promise me that we’ll talk abut this later?” I extended my pinky finger out to the the detective, who smiled and linked his to mine. “No adding additional conditions this time,” I teased.

“I’ve learned from my mistakes,” he said, laughing. “No addendums here.” He finished up his cigarette and flicked it away, gazing ahead as we approached the church. “Looks like we made it, Gracie.”

We heard the telltale sound of ferals nearby and Hancock looked back. “You guys done flappin’ your gums back there? I think we have company.”

“Always, hon,” I called back, cocking my gun. “Let’s clear this church and see if that bastard was bullshitting us.” I thought about it for a moment. “Hey Nick,” I said with a wicked grin, “if Deacon played us, can I _please_ shoot him?”

The detective raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re liking this new version of the world a little, huh? Last I remember, lawyers didn’t go around shooting’ people that gave ‘em a bit of guff.” He smirked. “Looks like ol’ John’s rubbin’ off on ya.”

I returned the smirk and readied the magnum. “What can I say, Nick- I like his style.”

_ _

* * *

After clearing out the ferals, they sat at the back of the church staring at a brick wall. “Now what?” Hancock asked. “We’re here, but I don’t see shit.”

Piper looked thoughtful. “Look at that, guys.” She pointed at the lantern painted on the wall. “I’ve been seeing these things all over today. What if it means something?” The reporter squinted for a minute, then pointed again. “Looks like it leads down… into the dark creepy hole. Of _course_ it does- why wouldn’t it?”

Hancock nodded. “Wright is right,” he said- Grace chuckled. “Looks like there’s a tunnel down there. Makes sense- wouldn’t be much of a secret base if it was this damn easy to find.” He grabbed his flashlight and shined it down the stairs. “Guess it’s time to go. You ready, Sunshine?”

“Born ready. Let’s find these folks and get some answers,” Grace responded.

The team trudged towards the bottom of the catacombs and Hancock watched Grace lead the way for the rest of them, gun poised and ready to fire at the slightest provocation. He noticed she wasn’t the same person that had strolled half-dead into his town anymore- yeah, she was still beautiful, funny, and kind, but she’d changed. Grace was harder, more confident- he could barely believe that this was the same girl he didn’t think would survive out here.

_And she’s mine_, he thought. _Never saw that one coming._

They found a marker on the wall at the end of the hallway and Grace squatted down to look at it with a quizzical expression on her face. “I’ve never seen a puzzle like this before.” She stood up and stared at them. “I’m at a loss here, guys- if it doesn’t have a screen or a keyhole, I’m not exactly the person you want for the job.”

Piper stepped in for a closer look. “It looks like there are letters on this thing.” She paused and stared at the dial, thinking for a moment. “The name of this crew again is the railroad, right?” She bit her lip, and then her face brightened. “This cannot be this simple,” she muttered. “Hancock, I cannot believe I am about to say this… but you’re right- this crew is full of morons.” She stuck her tongue out as she twisted the dials. “…And…” She heard a click, and stood up. “Done! The password was their goddamn name,” she said, shaking her head and turning around to us as the door opened. “These are the people we’re trying to get to take out the institute? Seriously-“

Her voice trailed off as the chamber was awash in bright white light. Hancock pushed the girls behind him as he could slowly make out a female standing on a platform shining a large spotlight on them. As his eyes adjusted, he noticed two people on either side, with miniguns trained on them. For the first time in a very long time, he felt like he was at a disadvantage. “Hey…” he said evenly, trying to not make the people with the large guns nervous. “So this is the Railroad, huh? Nice digs you got here.”

“Mayor Hancock, nice to meet you,” said a female voice. “Glad you finally found us and decided to join our cause.”

“How the hell does everyone know you,” Grace hissed over his shoulder. “I feel like you're a goddamn celebrity out here.”

He grinned. “Ain’t the time, Sunshine.” He put a hand to his face, blocking the light trained on him. “You mind turning that down a notch? Kinda not feeling going blind after fighting through all this shit to get here.”

“Fair enough,” the woman said, lowering the spotlight. “Welcome to the Railroad- my name is Desdemona.” She looked at Grace standing behind him. “And this is the Vault dweller that’s been causing a stir in the Commonwealth.” She gestured to her. “Step forward, please.”

Hancock shook his head. “Nah, she can talk to you from here.” He didn’t trust the folks up there- if they wanted to shoot something, they could shoot him first.

Grace put a hand on his shoulder. “I got this, hon.” She stepped forward. “Hi… I’m Grace,” She looked around at the others flanking the woman and swallowed nervously. “Um, you mind telling your crew to lower their weapons? It’s a little unnerving over here.”

“That’s kinda the point,” said the white-haired lady to her left. “Why should we trust you? You could be working for the institute.”

“But she’s not,” came a voice from down the hall. Hancock swiveled and found Deacon walking up, still wearing the sunglasses despite being indoors. “This one’s got a story to tell- I think you should hear it, Dez.” He turned towards the white-haired lady. “You can lower your gun, Glory. Trust me, if they wanted us dead, the one in the back-“ he gestured to MacCready, "would have picked you off by now.” He then looked at Hancock and smiled. “Plus the mayor’s a friend- you know that.”

“Why should we trust her?” Glory snarled. “What’s she done to make you so sure she ain’t workin’ for them?”

“First, she murdered that bastard Kellogg,” he said, holding up a finger. “Or hadn’t you noticed he wasn’t out terrorizing folks lately? Good job on that one, by the way,” he said to Grace with a wink. “Then, she almost got killed trying to save Mr. Valentine back there. Ain’t too many out there that’s gonna go through that much trouble for a synth- you know that.”

The white-haired lady nodded but said nothing, so Deacon continued. “And, I almost got my ass handed to me for not properly addressing her buddy with the respect she felt he deserved… so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say she’s got a little bit more compassion than your random asshole out there. Plus, they found us- All I did was tell them to follow the trail, which she didn’t,” he said, staring at Grace a little harder than Hancock would have liked. “This little one’s got smarts- found the place right away and somehow broke the code.”

“Not like it was hard,” Piper muttered. Grace poked her in the ribs and the reporter glared at her.

“Well, that’s certainly an impressive resume,” Dez said. “Glory, Drummer Boy, stand down please.” The two did as she requested, but Hancock got the distinct feeling it was just a formality- the one they called Glory was giving off Fahr levels of rage and looked like she’d find a way to shoot them all at the first opportunity. Not noticing the emnity of the people beside her or just not caring, the leader continued. “So, Grace, is it? Why are you here?”

“I need to find the institute,” she said honestly. “They kidnapped my boy and I’m getting him back.” Hancock put an arm on her shoulder and she held his hand- Dez gave them a look, but didn’t say anything. “They have to pay for what they did to me… and my boy. No one should have to go through what I’m going through out here.”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” she said softly. “But if we're going to be dealing with you, I need to make sure we're on the same page. You know what a synth is, right?”

“Obviously,” Grace said, gesturing at Nick, who gave a little wave. “What about them?”

“Well, the Institute created them,” Dez said. Grace turned to Nick, openmouthed- he nodded but didn’t say anything else. "Synthetic humans,” Dez continued. "They’re mostly organic, part machine. Somewhere along the line they became more than just constructs. But that’s not true- they think, they feel, and they act just like you and me. Yet the Institute treats synths as property. As tools.”

“That sounds like fucking slavery,” Grace growled- Hancock squeezed her hand. “Why would they do that?” She glanced around at the misfits. “Did you guys know this?”

“We suspected,” said Piper. “Not too much surprises me about those bastards.” Hancock and Nick nodded in agreement. “Hence why we’re out here with you tryin’ to do somethin’ about it.” She looked angry. “No one deserves to be treated like that.”

Desdemona nodded. “Exactly. So we seek to free the synths from their bondage and give them a chance at a real life.” She looked at each one of them somberly. “So, I have a question, Grace. The only question that matters.”

“Go ahead,” she said. “I’m listening.”

Dez looked at my crew and settled on Grace, staring her in the eye. "Would you risk your life for your fellow man? Even if that man is a synth?”

“If they need help, it doesn’t matter what they are,” Grace said plainly, threading her fingers with Hancock’s- he felt his heart swell with pride at her response. “The misfits help who needs helping, and hurt those who need hurting- that’s just the way it is.” Piper, Nick, and Hancock nodded. MacCready looked like he was about to say something else and Hancock shot him a look, mentally willing the kid to keep his mouth shut. Luckily, he got the point and nodded, albeit with a scowl on his face- Deacon smiled.

“Well said,” Dez said, nodding with approval. “Well, you were right about us. We're the only ones in the Commonwealth brave enough, or stupid enough, to fight the Institute. We'll do what we can to look into your missing boy. What the Institute has done to your family, and others, is what drives us.” She sighed. "Normally, you're exactly the type of person we try and recruit, but right now we don't have time to train up any new agents.”

“That’s good,” Grace said slowly. "I don’t have time to be an agent right now, but I could really use your help if you’re willing to listen.” She looked at Hancock, who nodded. “Look, we’ve found a way inside the Institute… but we’re gonna need your help.”

It looked as if that was the information they should have led with- Glory let out a small gasp and Dez’s eyes grew wide. “Well, that’s definitely interesting…” She turned to look at Deacon, who nodded- Dez sighed. “Well, Grace… let’s go and have a chat, shall we?"

Hancock pulled her aside before they entered and whispered, “Not sure if I fully trust them yet. Let’s only tell them what they need to know for now, Sunshine.” She nodded- Hancock could see she wasn’t fully convinced, either.

Hopefully this alliance wouldn’t backfire on them, but it wouldn’t surprise him in the least if it did.


	21. I'm gunning for you, kid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The misfits pick up another stray and meet some locals; MacCready handles some unfinished business

_ _

* * *

While Hancock, Piper, and Grace followed the Railroad folks inside, MacCready decided he would rather wait outside. Grace had given him a look- she was obviously concerned about why he was being so withdrawn, but Mac just waved her on. He knew she needed the lead, but he also didn’t trust his mouth to not get them blown to bits, so he decided to be prudent for once and err on the side of caution.

Mumbling to himself, he leaned against the wall and pulled out a cigarette. It wasn’t as if he disagreed with the Railroad's philosophy, per se- he had nothing against synths. It was just that until he met Grace, the merc was quite comfortable operating on his lonesome- pledging himself to a cause wasn't something he was itching to do again anytime soon, so this whole thing just unnerved him slightly.

“Got a light?” He turned to see the detective standing next to him. Wordlessly, he nodded and went into his coat pocket to grab his lighter and handed it to the detective, who accepted it with gratitude. “Thanks, kid," Nick said, lighting a cigarette from his pocket. "Could use one of these after that little tete-a-tet back there.”

MacCready smirked. “Thought you’d be in there drooling over your saviors with the others,” he said, jerking his thumb in the direction the others had gone. “Don’t miss your chance on my account, old man.”

“Meh,” Nick said, taking a drag on the cigarette. “I could use the break.” He sat there for a moment with the kid, not saying anything- he knew something was bothering the kid. Nick might be a synth, but he was always a cop first- the kid had a tell and it was singing out to the old man, loud and clear. “What’s on your mind, kid? You ain’t flappin’ your gums like you’re scared your brain's gonna run away if you stop.” He rapped on Mac’s head. "So, what’s goin’ on in there?”

MacCready took a long inhale, thinking about how much he wanted to share with the detective and eventually giving in. “The gunners,” he finally admitted. “This sh-stuff right here is a little too close to home for my tastes," he said, gesturing around. "You know, blindly follow and question never? Yeah, not the best recipe if you ask me.”

“I can see that,” Nick said. “How you doin’ on that front, anyway?” His eyes scanned the kid’s face, searching for the emotion he knew MacCready would never consciously show. “We should all probably have a pow-wow and see how we want to handle that situation after we deal with this bomb.” The detective chuckled and shook his head. “Hard to believe how much trouble we’ve all gotten into lately, isn’t it?” He grinned at the kid, who finally offered him a small as long smile in return. “But… can’t say I mind all that much. How about you?”

“Nah. Beats hangin’ around the bar waiting for nothing,” Mac agreed. “Plus, the Princess is pretty entertaining.”

“That she is,” Nick chuckled. Then he looked thoughtful. “You know, she’s pretty darn handy with computers, kid. She might be able to help you get into that terminal you were looking for.” He glanced at MacCready out the corner of his eye. “That is... if you asked her.”

MacCready’s face brightened, then dulled. “Thanks for the suggestion, but I think she’s got more important stuff to worry about at the moment.” He took another drag on the cigarette and flicked the rest down the corridor. “Ain’t her problem.”

“Her kid ain’t your problem, either, but here you are… for free,” the detective pointed out. “Why wouldn’t she help you out- you’re like family to her. Hell, we all are,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Don’t know how that happened, but hey, not complaining.” He patted the kid on the shoulder. “Just think about it, ok? We all got some things we gotta get better about sharing. May as well do it with people who care, right?"

“Probably,” MacCready agreed. “To be as prickly as she is, Princess has too big a heart- she’d be better off cutting us off the first chance she got and going out on her own.”

Nick puffed on the dying embers of his cigarette and flicked the rest of it away. “But you know as well as I do that ain’t her style. Besides, she ain’t the only one who cares, you know. Anyway,” he said, patting the kid on the shoulder, "just think on it, ok?”

The detective walked back inside the room, leaving the kid alone with his thoughts.  


_ _

* * *

I walked out of Old North Church, feeling a bit overwhelmed. I certainly didn’t trust Desdemona- that much was for sure. I got a distinct feeling she’d offer me up ‘for the greater good’ if she got the chance and Deacon was the definition of sketchy as hell. But they had what passed as a scientist that could decode the chip for me, so, for now, our interests were aligned. They also proved just how much they didn’t trust us by sending Deacon with our crew, which was a test of my patience. I’d have to deal with his loyalty later, but right now I still had to come up with a plan to fight this thing and not die.

_Ah, priorities._

“Well, let’s see if we can find murder radio on this thing, huh?” I said, fiddling with the dials on the Pip-boy, and suddenly. I heard a voice come through over the airwaves.

“_This is Scribe Haylen of Reconnaissance Squad Gladius to any unit in transmission range. Authorization Arx. Ferrum. Nine. Five. Our unit has sustained casualties and we're running low on supplies. We're requesting support or evac from our position at Cambridge Police Station. Automated message repeating…_”

“Isn’t that near where we have to go?” I asked, looking at Hancock and Nick, who were both looking in any direction except but mine. “Sounds like they need help.”

“Yeah, but…” Hancock trailed off. “That’s a group we don’t fuck with, Sunshine. The Brotherhood doesn’t like ghouls and synths,” he said plaintively. “If we put out a call, they’d never come to help us.”

"John's right," Nick said. "Been around a long time and I haven't run across a Brotherhood member yet that wasn't likely to shoot me on sight."

“Not all ghouls are feral,” I said, staring Hancock in the eye. “You gonna doom these people based on a few?”

“Sunshine-“ he tried, but then his shoulders sagged. “Fine- you're right. Let’s go save these jackasses.”

No one was particularly happy as we headed off towards the coordinates, but I didn't care. These were people, and everyone deserved a chance- if I came across their bodies later because I didn't help, I'd never be able to look at myself again. That wasn't the type of person I was back then- I damn sure wasn't going to change now. However, if they got out of pocket, I had no qualms in leaving them to their fate- I was empathetic, not stupid. 

  
When we got to Cambridge, we immediately saw three people being pinned down by a horde of ferals. They didn’t look like they were doing too good- one of their comrades was on the ground, and looking very much like he or she wouldn’t make it, and the remaining three didn’t look like they were going to be standing for much longer. I looked at the crew and prepped my gun. “Ok guys, we gotta do something- they aren’t looking good right now.”

Hancock rolled his eyes and I stared at him- finally, he sighed and grabbed the shotgun off his back. “All right, you heard the lady- let’s move.”

The six of us were able to make short work of the pile of ferals that had cornered the trio. When the ghouls stopped approaching, we were able to head over to check on them- they looked ragged but alive. Two of them were in the bulky power armor, but one was clearly a young woman, and I approached her with a small wave. “Scribe Haylen?” I asked. “We got your message- heard you needed some help.”

The girl gave us a thankful smile. “Thanks for the assist,” she said. “We were kind of in a tight-“

One of the men she was with broke in. “What are those _things_ doing with you?” He angrily pointed at Hancock and Nick. “Those are abominations and should be destroyed! Why are you even with these _creatures_?”

The woman frowned and Hancock snarled. “Oh, that’s rich- I just save his ass from actual ferals and now _I’m_ a creature. The irony,” he said witheringly. “Next time, we should just let them munch on ‘em… they'd be just like sardines,” he said with a smirk.

“Don’t mind these as-jerks, mayor. You’re still the prettiest girl in the room to me,” MacCready said with a smile.

I knew they were joking to keep themselves from exploding, but I was angry- I readied my gun, aiming it at the man’s forehead. “Those _abominations_ are my _husband_ and my _dad_… who just happened to save your ass,” I said pointedly. "I swear I’ve heard this shit before…Did you come from the South?”

“What gives? I call him a ghoul and she almost murders me, but he calls both of you abominations and she doesn’t fire a shot?” Deacon looked at me, an amused smile on his face. “I’m starting to think you just don’t like me- I’m hurt.”

Hancock put his hand over mine. “Sunshine, let it go…some ghouls are just feral,” he said sadly. I sighed as I lowered my gun, and Hancock turned to the detective. “Anyway, I’ve wasted enough bullets here. What about you, Nick?”

“I’d say I’m good,” the detective said, putting away his gun. "How about we let these fine young people get on their way- I’m sure they have some business that they need to attend to. Elsewhere,” he said pointedly. 

MacCready waved happily at the members of the Brotherhood. “New location, same old sh-crud. Glad to see some things don’t change.” He slung his rifle over his shoulder and flipped the trio off as he walked away. “Next time, find us something better to listen to on the radio, Princess- I’m out.”

One of the men sighed. “I’m Paladin Danse, ma’am,” he said stiltedly. “On behalf of Scribe Haylen, Rhys, and myself, I’d like to offer my thanks for your assistance.” Rhys scoffed, but Danse ignored him. “You’re talented, ma’am. If you would like to leave this… company-“ he looked at Hancock and Nick with disgust- “the Brotherhood of Steel would be happy to have someone of your talents assist us.”

I shook my head. “Nah, I’m not down to partner up with bigots. I’ve done my good deed for the day- stay out of trouble.” I looked at the men with contempt and shook my head at the girl. I felt bad for her- she may have been nice, but it was a shitty world out here. I understood that you had to take protection where you could find it, but she'd just found it with the wrong people.

"Me and my family won’t be here to help you again. Fuckers,” I mumbled- Hancock grinned, grabbing me by the arm and leading me away. “I know, I know- you were right,” I said softly. “We shouldn’t have helped them- I’m sorry.”

“Don’t ever be sorry about helpin’ someone, Sunshine,” he said, kissing me on the forehead. “You did what’s right and I’m proud of you. They’re the assholes. Not you.”

—  
This time, I tuned the Pip-Boy and found the right frequency- it hummed and screeched, making my ears burn, but I knew it was taking us to the right place. All of a sudden, MacCready’s eyes got wide and he snatched my arm. “Turn that sh-stuff off!” I stared at him and turned off the band- MacCready was never that easily rattled, so I knew it was serious.

“Mac, what the hell? You ok?” I turned to the kid, who had turned ghostly white. “What’s wrong?” I turned to look at what he was seeing and noticed two men walking towards us. “Um… they don’t look too friendly, Mac. Friends of yours?”

“More like former co-workers,” he mumbled. “That’s Winlock and Barnes. Gunners,” he added dejectedly.

My eyes widened in surprise. “These the asshats that were looking for you in Goodneighbor?”

He nodded. “Most likely. They don’t like a former Gunner operating on their turf. Makes it hard to get jobs,” he said.

“Sounds like you need a new agent,” I said. “Guess we should handle this, huh kid?” I adjusted my gun. “Hide,” I hissed at the crew in the back. Since Mac and I were in front, they had only seen me, Hancock and Mac- that goddamn ghoul and his red coat stuck out like a sore thumb.

I had a strong suspicion that this was going to go tits-up, but luckily Piper and the others could hide and serve as a backup if shit went south. From the corner of my eye, I saw them scatter behind some nearby structures- I hoped they were smart enough to get into firing positions. I also hoped the spy wouldn’t cut bait and run, but now wasn’t the time to express those doubts. _Trust the process, trust your team_, I thought to myself. _Who’d have thought a cheesy team-building exercise might serve me well in a firefight_?

“Hi!” I waved brightly. Hancock looked at me like I’d lost my mind, but I ignored him- I wanted to draw as much attention to me as I could to ensure they didn’t notice the team scrambling for cover. “Can we help you?”

The two approaching men paused and looked at each other, confused by my cheery greeting. “Well, this is a surprise,” said one of the men. He gave the kid a hard look. "Can’t say I'm surprised to find you in a dump like this, MacCready.”

Mac rolled his eyes. "I was wondering how long it would be before I ran into you idiots again, Winlock.” He gestured to Barnes. “And I see you brought your girlfriend with you… nice to see you too, Barnes."

Winlock gave the kid a murderous glance. “I see you're still taking jobs in the Commonwealth… unless you got a new dame over here,” he said, looking me up and down. I was mentally willing myself not to shudder under his gaze- though my skin was crawling, I refused to let him see me rattled. He licked his lips and grinned. "If that’s the case, I’m sure we can just share and agree that this is a misunderstanding, right?”

_Oh no, you did not_! I spat at him. “Fuck you, prick,” I said, snarling.

Hancock grabbed me by my elbow and held me back, his face a thundercloud. “That’s my wife you’re talkin’ to,” Hancock growled. His finger twitched around the knife at his side. “Watch your goddamn mouth before I watch that bitch split in two."

Barnes laughed. “_HA!_ I’m supposed to be terrified of the mayor of Goodneighbor and his cunt?” He looked Hancock up and down dismissively. "No offense, Mayor, but without your hot little redhead and your crew, you ain’t exactly threatening.”

Hancock eyed the man and sized him up, no fear in his pose whatsoever. “Glad you feel that way- care to test that theory out?” He drew the knife from its sheath and began twirling it through his fingers. Barnes wisely took a step back and I didn’t blame him- Hancock's tone was like ice. To be honest, _I_ was a little scared- his body was a walking contradiction. He looked like he was as relaxed as a kid on a summer day, but I could see the rage in his eyes- he was ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

MacCready just stared at the two, remaining as calm as I’d ever seen him. "The mayor and the Princess over here don’t take too kindly to folks implying nasty things… or threatening their crew. And in case you forgot, I left the Gunners for good.” He turned his head and locked eyes with Winlock. “Last I checked, I don't take orders from you... not anymore. So why don't you take your girlfriend and walk away while you still can,” he said. “Nobody has to get hurt here."

Winlock wiped his face. “Now that isn't going to work for us.” He glared at the kid. “If that’s not your side piece, then it looks like you’re still taking jobs, MacCready. The only reason we hadn't filled your body full of bullets before was that we didn't want a war with Goodneighbor. But, seeing as you just came to us…”

I stared at Mac, unblinking- I was mentally willing him to understand what I was going to do. “Mac, I think this is going south,” I said, hoping to clue him in. For a second, I panicked as confusion flitted across his face. Then I shifted my eyes to Winlock and his eyes lit up with recognition- the kid gave me an imperceptible nod and I internally breathed a sigh of relief. “You should just walk away, now,” I told the Gunner. "Like he said, no one has to get hurt here."

“Sunshine,” Hancock warned, gently pushing me back a little. _Good, get me into position,_ I thought as he turned to face the Gunners. “How about we all walk away nice and calm-like, huh?" Hancock offered a tight lip smile and continued b "Look, the kid ain’t goin’ with ya, so let’s just let all this go, ok?”

Just as I thought he would, the Gunner dismissed us- Winlock laughed and turned to Hancock. “Really? You think I’m just gonna let this fucker work on our turf?” He grinned menacingly at Hancock. "You know, just for that, I think I’m gonna take her first-”

Hancock growled at the gunner, but it was too late- threatening me was the last mistake he’d ever make. By moving me over, Hancock had inadvertently lined me up for the kill shot. “You should’ve listened,” I said, taking my magnum and shooting him in the head.

He didn’t have time to react- I had landed a clean headshot, right through his ear. Hancock jumped back as he was the only one unaware of the plan, but MacCready had correctly read my intentions. When Barnes realized what I’d done, he snarled and reached for his gun, but Mac was quicker. Before he had even drawn the gun from its holster, Mac had shot Barnes.

Hancock looked from me to MacCready, confusion and fury etched in his face. “_What the fuck was that_?” He was _pissed_. “You two are fucking morons! Do you have any idea-"

He didn’t get the chance to finish his rant. No sooner than Barnes had hit the ground, a contingent of Gunners and an assaultron streamed out at us. “Ok guys,” I screamed, "now would be a good fucking time to _light these assholes up!_”

“We gotcha!” Nick yelled back from the distance and firing shot after shot off into the crowd.

It was like everything went in slow motion after that.

Surprisingly, once we took out the main two, the rest of the Gunners weren’t a big deal. However, it was that assaultron made me think twice about ever making KL-E-O mad- that thing was not easy to take down, and I was receiving a nasty set of bullet holes in my leg for my troubles. I was trying my best to take her out, but I was losing, fast. There was going to be a second wave of bullets coming, but I couldn’t move- my leg was mangled and I was out of commission. “Fuck me!” I yelled as I fell to the ground- my leg looked like Swiss cheese, and I was pretty sure I was about to pass out. At least I wouldn’t see the next shot coming, so there was that, I guess.

Suddenly I heard a loud explosion from behind me, and a flash of red went streaking by out of the corner of my eye. In less than a second, Hancock was kneeling next to me, ripping my pants leg and creating a makeshift tourniquet. “You’re gonna want drugs for this, Sunshine. I gotta dig those bullets out before I can get you a stimpak.”

I shook my head. “I’ll deal with the shrapnel. I hear you’re supposed to leave them in.” The world was getting hazy- I was sure if I went down, anything I said wasn’t gonna matter- Hancock was going to do whatever it was he had to do.

MacCready raced over with a flushed face and a terrified expression. “Oh fu-heck, Princess!” He sat down next to me and looked up at Hancock. “What do you need me to do?”

“You could keep him from sticking me full of drugs- I’d appreciate it,” I said, smiling weakly.

He looked grim. “Hold her still- she ain’t gonna like this one bit.” He prepped the syringe and I struggled to stay conscious."If she punches someone for it, might as well be you."

I couldn’t hold on anymore- I saw the needle coming for my arm and I passed out.  


_ _

* * *

Hancock was tired and angry, but he couldn’t decide who he wanted to be mad at- the kid or Grace. Rationally, he knew it wasn’t the kid’s fault- hell, he was the one who told the merc that he could stay in town. He also knew that Grace had only finished what the asshole Winlock had started- he was gonna try to do worse to her, and she had a clear shot and she took it.

If he could get past how pissed he was, he would’ve been proud of her- she had made a split-second decision and ended the jackass with deadly efficiency. His Sunshine was lethal and he loved her, without question, but he was still angry at both of them because he was terrified- he saw her go down and he just _knew_ that she was gone. His world had crumbled in an instant, right up until he heard her swearing on that field- he’d never been happier in his life to hear her bitch.

Now, she was passed out from the pain and the meds, but he was still sitting by her makeshift bedside in the abandoned building. The stimpaks had done their job and true to her word, the wounds had all closed up, nice and neat- it was like they were never there in the first place. _Has to be the same thing that made her not soak up the rads,_ he thought. _Can’t deny it ain’t handy, but it don’t make it any less weird_.

_ _

* * *

Soon, he heard footsteps approach and looked up to notice the spy standing in the doorway. “Any particular reason you sitting in the part of the room with no ceiling when you could be warm in there with us? Can’t imagine she’s going to appreciate getting all patched up only to freeze to death.” Deacon glanced over at her leg and frowned. “That’s mighty odd… her leg should be a wreck. I saw it- it was barely together when we came in. But now-“

The spy reached over and tried to touch her leg, but Hancock snarled. “Touch her and prepare to lose that hand,” he said quickly. Deacon drew his hand back and Hancock settled back down. “Besides, her and I got a thing- she likes to see the stars at night. When she wakes up, I want her to be able to see the sky.”

Deacon settled down next to the mayor. “She probably ain’t waking up till morning, you know that right?” He stared at the sleeping girl, and up at the sky. “Never thought much about the stars. Ain’t doing me a bit of good, so why give a damn, you know.” He put his arms behind his head and smirked at Hancock. “So, what gives? All our reports suggest you’re more of a no-strings kind of fellow- didn’t peg you for a romantic, Mayor. So," he said thoughtfully, “when did you and Ms. Mischief over there tie the knot?"

"We didn’t yet. She just said that to piss the tin can off.” Hancock frowned at him. “Is there a reason you’re in here, or is it just to irritate the shit outta me?”

Deacon had also heard Hancock screaming about his wife to the Gunner, but he kept that to himself. “But you want to.” The spy said this not as a question but as a statement, then waited to see if he would get a retort from the ghoul. Just as he thought, Hancock didn’t reply- he just went back to watching over Grace. Deacon decided he’d file that tidbit away for later.

Hancock, however, was relieved- Grace was breathing, which was all he needed to know. He didn't care about Deacon or his inane questions- Grace's health and comfort were his only concern. As he was sitting by her side, a breeze blew past and Hancock could feel the chill in the night air- immediately, he took off his coat and draped it over Grace's sleeping form, watching carefully as she settled into a more comfortable position. 

The spy saw this but said nothing- he just watched and sat.

After a moment, Nick walked over to check in on them. “That girl is going to be the death of me, I swear,” he said, shaking his head. “But I got to hand it to her- she did say she was gonna handle the kid’s issue with the Gunners. They’ll think twice before sending someone after him again, that’s for sure.” Then he fixed Hancock with a sly grin. “Anyway… your _wife_ doing ok?”

Hancock blushed- he’d forgotten how good the detective’s ears were. Nick just chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder as he sat on the side of the room. “Your _daughter_ is fine, she’s just sleeping,” Hancock said, smiling at the detective. “Even sleeping, Sunshine is still the party starter, I see.”

“Just came to see how she was doing- that leg looked pretty busted up. Didn’t know if you needed some help.” He glanced over and looked at the leg, but just raised his eyebrows at Hancock, who gave a small imperceptible shake of his head. _Not now_, it said.

Deacon just sat quietly and watched. He didn’t miss much- it was his job to notice things, and he was noticing the strange angry girl was a little bit more than she appeared to be. Between her funny style of speech and the way she healed… something was different about her. “So, what’s the deal with the girl,” he asked. Sometimes the direct approach was best. It often threw people off their game, made them tell him things they didn’t necessarily want to.

“She’s from a vault. Got frozen over 200 years ago,” Nick said softly. “Woke up to find out that the institute had stolen her boy and killed her old man.”

“Shit,” said Deacon. He watched Hancock from behind his sunglasses. He noticed that the ghoul didn’t add or elaborate on the detective’s story- he just sat there, stroking her hair and holding her hand. “So wait,” he said. “She was married, but she’s…”

“With John, yes,” Nick said testily. “It’s complicated,” he said with an air of finality, signifying the matter was closed. “Her husband’s been dead for at least 10 years now and she doesn’t need you giving her grief about it.” Deacon easily read the meaning behind his tone- _if you give her shit about it, I’m gonna murder_ _you_.

Deacon tried a new tactic. “I noticed she called you dad…” he said to Nick. “You guys close?”

“Yep.” The detective wasn’t stupid- he could see the spy was trying to pump him for information on Gracie. “C’mon, Deacon. Let’s go have a smoke and bring John and Gracie something to eat, huh?”

“Might as well. Kinda chilly in here anyway.” He turned to Hancock. “You sure you don’t want to join us in there? It’ll be warmer.”

The ghoul shook his head. “Nah. She always calls me a space heater- I’ll stay with her. Like I said, if she wakes up, she’s gonna want to see the stars.”

Deacon nodded and got up to leave with the detective. He realized that this was the girl’s doing- he’d been watching most of these people for a while, and he'd never seen them interact with each other all that much... until she came around. _This crew is interesting_, he thought. _How does a girl like that bring all these folks together?_

It had been a long time since Deacon thought about family. As he watched the collection of misfits that had assembled in the burned-out building, he allowed himself to wonder, just for a moment, about what it would be like to have a real family again. Then just as quickly, he pushed the thought aside- he had a mission to complete.

He was only there to help them catch the Courser- nothing more.  


_ _

* * *

MacCready didn’t sleep well that night- his brain was moving a mile a minute. He’d long dreamt about the day the Gunners would leave him alone so he could search for what he came for in peace, but he had no idea it would happen like that. Grace went into the fight knowing full well what could happen, but true to form, she wasn’t going to let anything happen to her friend.

Since he’d been out here, no one had taken up for him as Hancock and Grace had- honestly, he’d gotten used to being by himself. But after traveling with them for so long, he was terrified at the prospect of being alone- he felt like his world had stopped when Grace went down. And not only had he felt terrible, he just _knew_ Hancock was about to murder him.

_And I would’ve deserved it_, he thought. _She took a bullet for me_.

He felt sick to think about it. These people (well, maybe not the spy, but everyone else) had his back, without reservation. But unlike the rest, he had only met her because Hancock had paid him to… like a lowly merc. 

Grace, on the other hand, was there for him, even when she didn’t have to be- other than Daisy, she was the first person out here who genuinely cared for him, and that realization made the merc feel like crap. This was the second time throwing her lot in with him had almost gotten her killed, but she never blamed him- she just rolled with it like it was no trouble at all.

Hancock, on the other hand…

He put his palm to his head and let out a long, deep sigh. He hadn’t talked to Hancock since they found the shelter- he’d tried to help with Grace, but the ghoul had looked at him like he’d lost his mind and carried the unconscious girl away from him. Dejected, he’d hung back and moped under the guise of checking the perimeter, until Piper had come over and started talking to him about something or other. The reporter could see how torn up he was but had the good sense not to chat about it, and he appreciated her for the distraction.

He’d sat by the fire as Deacon had walked into the room to check on Grace and he’d almost barked at the spy to stay the hell away from her. But Nick had caught his eye and shook his head- _not the time_, he seemed to say.

Finally, the detective got up and patted the kid on the shoulder and walked into the room, checking on the three inside. MacCready hadn’t seen Hancock since they arrived- the mayor hadn’t left her side since they brought her in. The kid was praying she’d be alright- he knew they’d cleaned the wound and given her stimpaks, but he also knew that a bum leg was a death sentence. If you couldn't run, traveling was impossible out here- you’d be better off strapping a bell to your butt and laying down on a plate.

At least he knew that she was alive- there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that his life was tied to hers at this point. He wanted to see her- the kid wanted to run in and talk to her like normal. He wished he could hear her tease or scold him for doing something or other, but Grace was out cold and talking to no one, so he just sat and waited for Nick to return.

After what felt like an eternity, the synth and the spy came out of the room- Hancock was still not with them. “Is he staying in that icebox with her?” MacCready asked- he’d hoped that Nick would’ve been able to talk some sense into the man, but Hancock was stubborn as a radstag when he wanted to be. “Won’t it be better for her if she stayed warm out here with us?”

“Funny- I tried that argument,” the spy said. “Went over great... Maybe the only person the ghoul wants to murder more than me should give it a shot. Anyone got a bet on how long it takes for the crotchety bastard to stab him?” Deacon looked at the rest of them and grinned at the kid. “Me, I give him five minutes.”

“Prolly wouldn’t even take that long,” Mac said glumly. “Wouldn’t blame him. He-heck, if this was your fault, I’d have shot you already.”

“Why is it that you guys always seem to default to shooting people? Are there some issues you all need to work out?” Deacon brushed past the kid and started putting food on the fire. “What gives? I’m not feeling the love here, guys.”

“You shouldn’t,” Mac said glumly. “You don’t care what happens to the Princess… or any of us, for that matter- you just want your stupid chip.” The kid scowled at the spy. “I dunno why I’m even talking to you… You’re prolly just collecting information.”

Deacon frowned. “I’m a spy… of _course_ I’m collecting information! You say that like it’s a bad thing. Besides,” he said evenly, “at least I’m honest about what I am, Merc. I’ll lie about everything, but you always know I’m lying. You? You’re a two-bit gun for hire- you don’t do things out of the goodness of your heart.”

MacCready glared but Deacon kept going. “So, who’s paying you to help the girl, huh?” He paused, stoking the fire. “I wonder- is it the mayor or the detective? I mean, I’m honestly curious as to why you’re even out here in the first place. Doesn’t seem to be nearly enough caps in a job like this for you to nearly get your ass blown off, if you ask me. Plus,” he said, turning to look at the kid, whose face was now red with fury, “It ain’t every day the hired gun almost gets his client blown to bits, so-"

“_Shut up_!” MacCready screamed, lunging for Deacon. “_Shut up or I’m gonna_-“

Suddenly, a hand was on the kid's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. “Knock it off, kid,” came a voice from behind MacCready. “It ain’t worth it. Plus, you keep up all that racket and you’re gonna wake Sunshine up.” Hancock looked between Deacon and MacCready slowly before he continued. “And then I’ll have to kill both of you.” He gestured towards the room. “Let’s go, kid. You and I need to chat.”

MacCready rolled his shoulder away from Hancock’s hand and scowled at the spy. “Fine,” he fumed. “Anything to get the heck away from him,” he said angrily.  


_ _

* * *

Hancock had tried to ignore the ruckus in the other room for some time, preferring to focus on Grace and making sure she was resting comfortably. He’d heard the spy picking at the kid but hadn’t cared enough to get involved. _Nick’ll take care of it_, he reasoned. _No sense in me going out into the fray._

But… Nick hadn’t taken care of it. Instead, it had gotten loud enough that Grace had shifted in her sleep, which was the last straw. Slowly, Hancock rose to his feet and went outside, only to see the kid ten seconds from strangling the spy- definitely not what he was expecting. He brought the kid in the room with him and Grace, hoping to put some distance between MacCready and the spy. “Sit,” he said. 

MacCready scowled but did as he was told, sitting on the floor. “Now,” Hancock said, settling back down next to Grace, “start talkin’, kid. What’s got your panties in a twist out there? Ain’t like you to lose your cool like that-“ he pointed to himself, then Grace. “That’s our job,” he said with a smile.

The kid just cast his eyes downward. “I’m sorry, Mayor.”

“For what? Sunshine’s still sleepin’- no harm done.” Hancock glanced at the kid, who looked terrible. As soon as he saw Mac’s face, he realized the real issue- inwardly, he groaned. _This is why Nick didn’t do anything_, he thought. _He wants me to talk to the kid_. “Look, kid… I ain’t mad at cha,” he said, looking at Grace. “Her and I are gonna have words, but those guys… they were gonna come for you no matter what.” He looked at the merc, who was staring at the floor. “You know that right?”

Mac didn’t look at him. “Doesn’t matter. It’s my fault.” He shrugged. "I’m the one who got involved with ‘em, and I’m the reason she had to even get involved. I should’ve handled it myself.”

Hancock let out an exasperated sigh. “Mac, have you met her? Has there ever, since you’ve known Grace, been a thing that she was going to let any of us handle on our own?” He rapped his knuckles on the kid’s forehead. “Think, for fuck’s sake. That one-“ he said, jerking his thumb at the sleeping girl, “has a head that’s as hard as a sack of bricks. If she gets in her head to do something, she’s gonna do it. If there’s something she ain’t feelin’ to do, heaven help you if you try and make her,” he said, remembering that goddamn hazmat suit. “So trust me, kid... she wanted to help. Wasn’t a goddamn thing you could’ve done to stop her.”

“But I don’t deserve it, Hancock,” he said softly. “The spy’s right- I only went out with that first time cause there were caps in it for me.”

Hancock rolled his eyes. “_And_? Mac, fuck that guy- If you’re trying to go against Nick or the dog for sainthood, be my guest, but everyone here has a reason we fell in with this crew, kid. Hell, she ain’t a saint for stayin’ with us, considering she needs the help her find her boy. So, cut the mopey shit, would ya? I liked you better when you were a pain in my ass,” he said with a smirk.

“I guess. Still,” he said, shuffling inside of one of the pockets of his duster. “I don’t charge family, Mayor.” He walked over to the ghoul and placed a pile of caps in his hand. “Here, take that and buy yourself a new shirt, huh? I can see your nips through that one,” he said, winking.

“Get the fuck outta here,” Hancock said, swatting at him playfully. “I’ll get ya if she wakes up anytime soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For more on what happened with the Misfits during the trek, check out "Breakdown" (Chapter 13) in _ The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_


	22. To Catch a Courser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and the team set out to kill the unkillable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, we're at chapter 22 now! I remember starting this and being like 'meh, I dunno if it's something I even want to do', but it's kinda amazing to see your idea come to life and be able to share it with others (and hopefully entertain them while I'm at it)! Thanks for all your support- I only have 10 more chapters left to write, so let's get into it and see how this goes!

_ _

* * *

I woke up in the middle of the night to a starry night sky, my leg burning like the pits of hell, and the smell of gun oil, nicotine, and Berry Mentats.

As I looked down, I breathed a sigh of relief- my leg was not blown to bits, as I had feared, nor did it look like Hancock had been diving for dollars inside my skin. It still hurt like a sonafabitch- just because I didn’t scar didn’t mean that pain was non-existent, but at least I still had a fully functional appendage. Painfully, I wiggled my toes, just to make sure they still worked… and my toes brushed against another body. 

Rolling over and praying I was right, I smiled as I saw Hancock snoring softly at my side. I had no idea how long I’d been out- the sky was still dark, but I couldn’t tell if it was the same or a different day. Initially, I was confused as to why we were over here, but when I turned my face back to the sky and felt his breath on my neck, the answer came to me.

_He knows you stargaze, Grace._

I smiled to myself as I focused on the constellations in the sky and tried to ignore the pain in my leg. My mind wandered to the man next to me, and then over to Shaun. Would Shaun remember Nate at all? Could I still read him bedtime stories? What was his favorite food now? What did he like to do for fun? Would he still love me? Would we all be a family and go camping like I used to? How would I explain our new family to him? 

_Your new family, huh? Aren't you jumping ahead a little? _

Realizing none of these questions mattered right now, I kissed the man next to me and tried to get some sleep- tomorrow was going to be a long day. My leg felt like ten-thousand tiny little elves were stabbing me with pointy knives at the same time, but I bit my hand and dealt with it- there was no way I was taking any drugs, so I rolled over and fought the scream building in my throat.

For once, I almost had everything I had ever wanted- a guy I loved, a little boy that was the world to me, and friends I loved like family. Nothing was going to stop me from fighting for them- not mercenaries, scary murder robots, or weird bigot cults in power armor. I was too close to everything to give up now, mind-numbing pain or not. 

—

“Ouch! That fucking hurts, Piper!” I yelled, swinging my arms and knocking her hat askew. “Are you trying to murder me? If so, just shoot me in the head- it’d be easier!”

“Blue, you gotta let me massage it out!” She adjusted her hat and glared at me. “Hancock did this on purpose, didn’t he? He knew you’d be…” she took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. “...cranky and sent me in here, didn’t he?”

“I would say so, yes. I hate him right now and I really don’t like you much, either.” My leg was super stiff and painful- I refused to take any pain meds, so in his infinite wisdom, Hancock had sent Piper in to massage it for me. _Oh the irony_, I thought. _If this is what he felt like all the time, no wonder my dad was so goddamn evil- I’d be perma-pissed off, too_. I folded my arms and glared at the reporter. “I’d like to be left alone now, thank you very much.”

She crossed her arms right back. “Nope.” 

“Fuck do you mean, nope? I said, go away- I did not stutter.” I narrowed my eyes. “You. Just. Hurt. Me.”

“I. Know.” Piper huffed. “But Blue, guess what? These are your options- you either let me massage that leg or you take the pain meds.” She stared me down. "So take your pick- me or Hancock."

“Neither,” I growled. “Nick can just carry me-“

“Fraid ‘not, Gracie,” the detective called back. “You gotta get one or the other- sorry, doll.”

“But Nick!” I wailed, hoping I still had a little of that daughter sway I was so counting on. “It hurts!”

I heard shuffling in the background. “Well, maybe just for a little-“ I grinned at the reporter- it sounded like Nick was caving in. 

“No!” Piper shouted emphatically. 

_Well, shit- it was worth a shot. _

I glared at Piper, who flounced out the room. I breathed a sigh of relief when she left, but it was short-lived- my face fell as she returned with Hancock, arms crossed across her chest with smug satisfaction. He looked at the reporter, who nodded. “Mac, come in here-” Piper called. “We’re gonna need you!"

“What the hell are you all doing?” I said nervously. “Why are you both looking like that?” In my experience, it was never a good sign when Hancock and Piper weren’t sniping at each other, and it didn’t bode well that their accord was revolving around me.

When Mac came in, the three of them advanced towards my bedroll- Mac grabbed my arms and Piper grabbed my good leg while Hancock pulled out a syringe. “Mayor, you better have liquid gold in that friggin’ needle,” he said nervously, “cause the Princess is about to be pissed.”

My blood started to boil- I had told him time and time again that I didn’t want drugs, but here we were... again. I tried to squirm away from them, but there was no place to escape from them. “You’re goddamn right I’m pissed!” I screamed. “I’ve told you before- I don’t want-“ the needle pierced my skin and instantly, I felt so relaxed- it was like my head was floating on a cloud. Limply, I pointed a finger at what I was reasonably sure was Hancock. “I still don’t like you,” I slurred just before passing out.   


_ _

* * *

“Hancock, what the hell did you give her?” Piper asked as she stared at Grace sprawled out on the bedroll in front of them. “Is she still alive?” She grabbed her wrist and checked for a pulse, glaring at the ghoul. 

“Calm down, Wright,” Hancock said. “It’s Calm-X. She’s definitely gonna need a dose of addictol after this, though.” He sighed and looked at the reporter. “You gonna massage that leg out or do you want me to do it?” 

“If we were gonna do that anyway, why give her the drugs?” Piper asked angrily. “You knew she didn’t want it!” 

“Because the Princess was going to murder you both,” Mac said carefully. “Every time you touched her leg, I saw her eyes look for her gun.” He whistled. “I don’t get it- why is she in such a tizzy? The leg looks fine to me.”

Hancock looked at them for a moment, debating. He knew he wasn’t going to share her secret, but Grace was being a brat about the whole situation- he had to give the others something so they could understand. “She won’t scar, which is why her leg looks normal, but on the inside, all those muscles are knotted and inflamed. She’s prolly got about ten different muscle cramps all at once in there- we were never gonna be able to touch that leg without drugs.”

Piper glared at Hancock. “So why did you send me in here to even try? She almost smashed my face in when I touched it!”

“I figured she’d wise up when you tried to do it without the drugs.” He shrugged. “Guess I was wrong- she’s a stubborn thing, ain’t she?” 

“That’s one way to put it,” said Mac, looking down at Grace and checking ever so often to make sure she was still out. “Um, shouldn’t we be fixing that leg while she’s snoozing? If that leg is still on fire when she wakes up, I don’t think we’re gonna get another chance to do this, guys.”

“Kid’s got a point,” Hancock said, staring at the reporter. “You down to work those knots out, Wright?” 

“She’s gonna hate us for this, Hancock.” Piper bit her lip, tears in her eyes. “I don’t want to lose my friend, guys- what happens if she doesn’t talk to us again? Maybe we should just let her-“

Against his better judgment, Hancock put his arm around the reporter. “She’s gonna hate us even more if her leg gets stuck like this, Wright.” He sighed. “I’m gambling my future here too, you know.” 

_ _

* * *

When I came to a few hours later, Nick was sitting next to me. “Hey, Gracie,” he said mildly, putting out the cigarette he was smoking. “Welcome back.” He gestured to the inhaler next to me. “John said you’re probably gonna want to take that.” 

I was confused for a moment, but then the memories of the three of them pumping me full of meds came rushing back. While I was furious with all of them, I desperately wanted to throttle Hancock. “I’m gonna kill him, Nick. I’m honestly gonna murder him with my goddamn bare hands,” I seethed as I grabbed the inhaler and flushed out any potential toxins from my system. “This is the second goddamn time he’s done this shit to me and I’m sick of it!” I stood up and went to the door, fists balled at my sides. If it could, I’m sure steam would be rising from my ears- I was heated. “What gives him the fucking right-“

Nick cut me off. “Gracie,” he said softly. 

“No, don’t stand up for him,” I said angrily. “He deserves-“

“Gracie.” Nick cut me off, this time more firmly. “You do realize you’re walking and standing, right?” He gestured to my leg. “Doesn’t hurt anymore, does it?”

“It-“ I had to think about it for a moment before I realized that surprisingly, it didn’t hurt anymore. “You’re right, it doesn’t.” I unclenched my fist. “But that still doesn’t excuse-“

“Nope, sure doesn’t. You have every right to be mad about them not listening to you, Gracie,” he said, getting up and walking over to me. “But then you’d only have yourself to blame when you couldn’t use the leg anymore.” He hugged me. “They knew you were gonna be upset, but they decided it was more important for you to be able to find your kid- even if you might hate them afterward.” He looked me in my eyes, making sure I heard every word. “That’s friendship, sweetheart. You gotta understand, if you make that boy choose between keeping you healthy or happy, he’s gonna make sure you’re healthy every time.” 

“But Nick-“

“No buts, sweetheart,’ he said, pushing me gently out the door. “Go thank your friends so we can get going- this whole crew is going stir-crazy."  
—

“Trouble in paradise, fearless leader?” Deacon said, sidling up to me. Hancock and Nick were in the back, and I was walking with the Pip-Boy, trying to pick up the weird buzzing noise again. I understood what they did and why, but that didn’t mean that I had to talk to them right now. “Usually, you’re so attached to Hancock that it looks like you’re sharing one coat.”

“Well, today we’re not sharing a coat,” I said glaring at the spy. “Last I checked, don’t you have people to insult somewhere else?” 

Deacon gave me a bright grin and clapped me on the shoulder. “Nope! I’m all yours, Sunshine,”

I whirled on him, enraged. “Don’t you ever fucking call me that, do you hear me?” I threw his arm off me and poked him in the chest. “That name is not for you- is that fucking clear?” 

“Ah, so it’s a pet name… got it,” he said. “Funny, you don’t look like you even have a friend, let alone a sweetheart right now. Is it because of your sunny disposition? Or is it the fact that the mysterious vault dweller is so petrified of drugs that she’s willing to lose her leg instead of letting her husband-“ he drew out the word impishly, “help her? Oh yeah, you’re a barrel of laughs, lady.”

“Remind me why I haven’t shot you yet?” I asked angrily. “Cause right now I’m thinking of about ten thousand reasons to murder you but yet I can’t find one to keep you alive.”

“I can,” he said mirthfully. “Did you forget that our group’s the only one that can help you decode that chip?” 

“I hate you,” I said softly. “I hate every single one of you right now.” I stared straight ahead, willing the buzzing to come back into existence- it didn’t. 

“No, you don’t. Well, you may hate me, I’ll give you that. But you certainly don’t hate him.” He reached into his pack, pulled out a strip of fruit leather, and handed it to me- I looked at him as if he’d lost his mind, but he shrugged. “Hey, you can be mad if you want to, but you still gotta eat. Figure you might want to rip something apart, but since I’m not offering up my neck for the cause…” he waved the strip in front of my face. “See? Controlled destruction, right here. Win-win."

In spite of myself, I chuckled and took the fruit strip and bit into it angrily. “Whatever,” I said. After a few minutes and a few more bites, I realized that I was eating the man’s food- the least I could do was be somewhat appreciative. “Thanks,” I grumbled. “It’s not that bad.”

“I know, right? I found a whole stash of them when I raided a factory out west. Figured the family recipe was gone forever till I found it.” He pulled another out of his pack and munched on it thoughtfully. “Makes me long for the days I used to spend at gramma’s.”

“Cut the bullshit- I saw a pile of these on Dez’s desk before we left,” I said, smiling. “Did you really think I was going to fall for that horrible story of yours?"

“Can’t bullshit a bullshitter, I see,” he said, noticing my smile and grinning back at me. “And look- she can smile!” He waved his arms as if he were in church. “It’s a miracle!” 

Though I wanted to be angry with him, I couldn't help but be somewhat appreciative of his attempt to cheer me up. “Yeah… don’t get used to it,” I mumbled. “Thanks for the food,” I said, waving him off. “You can go tell them I’m ok since I know you’re just up here to report on me.” 

“You wound me, lady,” he said. “Do you really think that little of me that-“ I shot him a look and he laughed, raising his hands above his head in mock surrender. “Alright, fair point. But alas, I have no one to report to- this one was on the house.”

“The name is Grace,” I said. “Not lady, not fearless leader, not anything else you decide to come up with.” I fixed him with a stare and he looked at me with bemused interest. "As long as you’re with our crew, you can call me Grace.” 

“All right then… Grace it is,” he said with a mischevious grin. “And I’m Deacon,” he said- I gave him a confused look. “I mean, I figured I should clarify- you’ve been calling me ’that asshole’ for so long I wasn’t sure you knew what my name was.”

“Fair enough," I agreed, taking another bite of the fruit leather. "Is Deacon even your real name?” I asked, curious in spite of myself. 

The spy shook his head. “Nope. But it’s real enough. Wait a minute,” he said, giving me a suspicious look. “Is Grace even _your_ real name?”

“Unlike you, I don’t lie,” I said. “That’s one hundred percent my real name.” I turned away from Deacon and accidentally caught Hancock’s eye- when our eyes met, my breath hitched in my throat. He gave me a small smile and I lowered my head, turning away slowly. Even though they were hidden behind the ridiculous glasses, I could feel Deacon’s eyes on me. “What?” I asked defensively.

“Looks like you’re cold, Grace.” He stared ahead and inclined his head in Hancock's direction. "Go on... seems to me like you need to go share a coat. Haven't you put the rest of us through enough this morning? Sheesh- go talk to the man, would ya!”

“Whatever, Deacon,” I mumbled. “I’m gonna try to make sure this radio isn’t a piece of garbage. Go bug someone else for a while.”

“Fine, fine,” he said. “Whatever you want.. Grace.”

Deacon walked off, and I began to fiddle with the Pip-Boy, trying to pick up on the proper frequency- It was frustrating since I knew were in the CIT ruins and close to where I picked up the signal before. At this point, we were pretty close to where we had our earlier run-in with the Gunners, but there was nothing on the radio but regular old music. “_Fuck_,” I grumbled. “Why is this so goddamn hard?”

“Need some help with that, Sunshine?” 

I nearly jumped a foot in the air. “John, you scared me!” I said breathlessly, startled at the sound of his voice. “What are you doing?” 

“The spy said you were having trouble checking the frequency and that you could use some help,” I stared at Hancock, the ghost of a smile playing across my lips. After a moment, his face lit up with understanding. “Ah…”

I nodded. “Yep, you’ve been played, hon.” I sighed. “But, since you’re here,” I walked over and wrapped my arms around him, placing a soft kiss on his lips. “Thanks for saving me,” I said. He smiled at me and started to say something, but then I pulled back and punched him in the arm, hard. “And _that’s_ for not listening to me- don’t you _ever_ pull that shit again, you hear me?” 

He rubbed his arm and nodded. “Guess I deserve that one, huh?” I nodded and he sighed. “Look… I’m sorry about the way I did it, but I’m not sorry about saving your leg, Sunshine. I’m always gonna choose you over me- you know that, right?”

I started to protest, but he cut me off. “No buts- there ain’t nothing left for me if you ain’t here.” He shrugged. "May as well go out knowing you’re safe.”   
  
“John…” I sighed. “You know what happened to my dad. I can’t take chems and you know that, so why do you keep insisting on giving them to me?”

He gave me a look. ”Sunshine, do you honestly think that I would actually let you do something that would hurt you? That I would even suggest something like that if it wasn’t damned important?” Hancock put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye. “Look, I know I’m not a good man-“ I started to protest, but he put a finger on my lips. “Hey, no sense in us denying it- I know exactly what I am. But,” he said, kissing me on the lips, “what I am is absolutely crazy about you. Can you please just trust that whatever I do, I’m doing to keep you safe? Right now, I feel like every time I have to save you, I’m gonna risk losing you.”

I was quiet- I understood his point, but what he was talking about felt like giving up my agency, and I wasn’t too fond of that. However, I did have to concede that life out here was a little (well, a lot) different- it was more field medic than anything else, and it wasn’t like I could find an acupuncturist down the road or look up a homeopathic cure or something like before. Like it or not, this was a new reality and I had to learn to deal instead of being such a bitch all the time. 

That being said, I was also fully committed to shoving my foot up his ass if he ever drugged me again without my consent. 

He touched his finger to my chin, tilting it up so I could look at him. "Still mine, Sunshine?” 

Finally, I smiled and planted a kiss on his lips. “Always, John.” 

“Then as much as this pains me to say this…” he said, kissing me back, “the reporter's convinced you ain’t her friend anymore- you should prolly go talk to her. But _please_, don’t rush on my account,” he said with a grin. “I’ll totally understand if that was the last straw and you never want to see her again-“

“My god, you’re an asshole, John,” I said, laughing.   
—

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting outside Greenetech Genetics and my radio was going nuts. “Looks like we found it, guys,” I said. “According to this annoying ass noise, he’s in there… but I can’t see all of us going inside. I’m not trying to get trapped without backup.” I looked at my companions and swallowed. “So who goes... and who stays?”

MacCready was the first to volunteer to stay behind. “I’m gonna stay, Princess. Not that I don’t want to help, but I think I’ll be more useful to you out here. I’d rather be the Calvary if sh-stuff goes pear-shaped.”

I nodded. “Understood.” I turned to Hancock, hoping that for once, just _once_, he’d let me keep him safe. “John, can you-“

He crossed his arms over his chest and glared. “Over my dead body, Sunshine. We’ve been through this- you and me, remember? I ain’t stayin’, so you can hang that up. Pick someone else.” It was pointless to argue with him- I could either plan for it or have him dashing in as soon as I left. Whether I liked it or not, Hancock was going with me.

“I’m going too,” Deacon said. “It’s the reason I’m here, after all. If a Courser is here, that means that there’s a runaway synth somewhere- I want to help.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Besides, how will you ever survive without me? I'm amazed you've made it this far."

“Whatever Deacon,” I said. “So, that leaves Piper and Nick.” I looked at them with concern. "You guys ok staying out here and providing Mac with some support?”

Nick nodded and Piper smiled. “I’ll be better out here, anyway," she said. "Plus I got these two lug nuts to keep me company.” The reporter pulled me into a big hug and whispered in my ear. “Come back safe, Blue,” she said quietly.

Deacon mimed a yawn. “This is so touching. As much as I enjoy seeing all this love in the Commonwealth, we gotta get to it- that asshole is in there for a reason.”

“The spy ain’t wrong, Sunshine,” Hancock said grimly. “Let’s go catch ourselves a Courser.”  
—

As soon as we walked in the building and the voice came on over the loudspeaker, I said a silent prayer of thanks for the fact that we left Mac outside. 

“_Gunners_! Hancock and his crew are inside the building! Squad Six-Alpha-Bravo, take those sons of bitches out! When you’re done, go join the other half to take that bastard upstairs out!”

“Well, look at that, we warrant our own squadron,” Deacon said. “Guess I should feel special, huh?”

“Long as they don’t have an assaultron, I’ll take it,” I said, readying my gun. “Seems to me like we gotta get upstairs- that sound about right?”

“Just try to stay in one piece this time, Sunshine,” Hancock said as the first wave rushed through the doors. “We didn’t come this far to lose now.”

We plowed through the battalion and thankfully had no new casualties. I knew I needed to rest, knew that it was only adrenaline keeping me upright, but I was going to go with it, when suddenly, a body flew past us and a blur of blue charged up the stairs. “Holy fuck… was that it?” I asked incredulously. “How fast was that motherfucker?”

“Faster than us and almost to where he wanted to be, which means we need to get a move on,” Deacon said grimly. “Come on!”

\--

We had made it to the 5th floor when suddenly the building started to shake. I screamed and grabbed for Hancock, terrified. He looked up and his eyes grew wide as he saw the debris start to fall from the ceiling.

“Fuck are they doing up there?” Deacon asked. “The building feels like it’s about to come down!” 

“Might be,” Hancock said. Another boom rattled the building and his eyes widened. “Shit... these assholes are firing missies!” Hancock yelled. “Deacon, get her away from here!” The last vestiges of the squad came up behind us, and he prepared his gun. “I’ll hold them off- just get yourselves to somewhere the fucking ceiling isn’t falling down!”

Deacon nodded and tried to grab me, but I pulled away. “_John_!” I yelled, twisting out of Deacon’s grip and firing my gun, nailing the Gunner who was behind Hancock. “I’m not leaving you, dummy!” I bellowed, taking out another of the Gunners just as another missile blast rang out above our heads. “We gotta get upstairs, guys!” I yelled. “Stop being heroes and let’s move the fuck out!”

“On it!” Deacon grabbed Hancock and yanked him out of the way as a beam from a collapsing stairway started to fall. As the rubble rained down on the remaining Gunners and muffled their screams, we stood there trapped in the remains of the hallway, covered in soot and dust. At least the missiles had stopped firing- it seemed that the Courser had eliminated the ones firing the bombs.

I didn’t know if I should be thankful for the building still standing or to shit my pants because _holy fuck that thing just shook off a missile attack and now I have to kill it_? I decided to settle for a combination of the two and puked, voiding all the contents of my stomach into the hole below. "Shit," I said nervously, wiping my mouth. "What the fuck was that?" 

Deacon frowned, staring at the pile of debris that covered where we were previously standing. “No idea... Better question- how the fuck do we get up there now? We gotta get upstairs but those crazy bastards just blew up the staircase.” As he said that, Hancock popped a Mentat and Deacon promptly lost his shit. “_Are you fucking kidding me?_ We’re about to die and you want to get _high_? _Now_?” He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Jesus Christ, Grace- you really know how to fucking pick ‘em, don’t you?” 

After a moment, Hancock piped up. “She sure does,” he said. “Cause I just found our way out.” He pointed at the pile of rubble where the staircase used to be, leading to a hole in the floor. “We climb.” Deacon looked at Hancock and paled- the ghoul just smiled. "Hope you got as much upper body strength as you do ego, Deacon.”

_ _

* * *

Even from outside, they heard the explosions. MacCready looked at the others and saw the same panic etched across every face. 

The merc had known something was going to go wrong with this- something about this whole endeavor made his skin crawl, but he knew he had to be a friend and see it through. However, when the Princess had given him the chance to stay outside, he readily took it. He figured he’d be out here picking off the stray Super Mutant or Ghoul that wandered through so the inside team didn’t walk out into an ambush- no big deal, he could handle that. But that was before the building his friends (and the spy) was inside of started to shake violently- now it was a different story.

Piper grabbed his arm, her nails digging into his skin even through the thick coat. “Oh my god! Do you guys hear that !” The reporter turned to the boys, her face ashen. “What the hell do you think happened?” 

“I don’t know, Pipes,” MacCready said quietly. “If I had to guess, that was an explosion. Sounds like someone set off a mini-nuke in there or something.” He took off his hat and wrung it in his hands. “I’m thinking we should go in there, guys. They might be trapped, or hurt…"

_Or worse_, he thought. Then he shrugged the thought off, unwilling to think about losing someone else. 

“That’s it,” said Nick. “I’m going to check it out- Gracie’s just gonna have to get over it.” The detective began packing up the supplies on the ground, taking off a dead sprint towards the building. Mac didn’t disagree- he and the reporter quickly followed suit, vaulting over the rocks to reach the building and noticing the bodies as soon as they got inside.

“Gunners,” said Mac. “Not only do we have to deal with the Murderbot-5000, but we’ve also got Gunners too. Of course,” he said wearily. 

“_Had_ Gunners,” Piper pointed out, kicking a corpse with her foot. “Looks like they took care of all of these already. And there’s no sign of them down here, but I do see a few guys hanging over that railing up there,” she said, pointing at the floor above them. “Looks like they went up. Let’s go!” Piper took off towards the staircase and Mac broke out into a run to keep up with the reporter, stepping over the dead along the way. Nick brought up the rear, checking to make sure no stragglers remained to stop their progress. He needn't have worried- the lower levels of the building were silent as they made their way up.

As they got to the 4th floor, the kid skidded to a stop and jumped backward into Nick to avoid stepping into a puddle of puke. “Ugh, looks like someone lost breakfast along the way up there,” Mac said, staring up at the hole in the floor above him. “I’d assume it’s one of ours- Gunners ain’t squeamish like that. Mass murder usually makes for a pretty cast-iron stomach,” he said grimly. 

Nick moved over to where the kid was and peered up the hole. “I see ‘em,” he said finally. “They’re climbing up on the wreckage- I can see Hancock and that damnable red coat,” he muttered, but secretly Nick was glad for the frock- he’d secretly be getting it mended the next time the ghoul took it off at camp. 

MacCready peered up but couldn’t see a thing. “I’m gonna have to take your word for it, old man- I thought kids were supposed to have better eyes than the elderly,” he quipped. 

Piper let out a sigh of relief. “I don’t care who saw them, as long as they’re all right. You know Blue’s ok if Hancock is still moving- he’d be screaming his fool head off if something happened to her, and we’d probably see the spy somewhere on the floor if he had anything to do with it.”

“True,” the kid said. “If that’s the case, should we try to get up there and help?” He looked at the hole and then at the other two. “I’m not seeing an easy way up there, though. Thoughts?”

Nick looked around. “Feel like climbing? Looks like we got a bit of a vertical trek,” he said, pulling a desk over the puddle and climbing on top. “They aren’t too far ahead- we can catch them.” He reached up and grabbed the ledge, pulling himself through the hole in the floor. 

“May as well,” the kid said as he followed the detective to the 5th floor and gave the reporter a hand up. "Gunners are like radroaches- they just keep popping up. Wouldn’t want to miss the chance to eliminate any more vermin,” he said grimly.

_ _

* * *

Hancock’s arms were on fire. 

It turned out that Grace was like a little monkey- she scrambled up the rocks first and hoisted herself up on the platform. He wanted to chase right after Grace, but Deacon was petrified and creeping upward at a snail’s pace. Hancock wanted to stick the spy in the ass with his knife, but after seeing the destruction being thrown at the Courser and it not missing a beat, the ghoul figured they could use all the help that they could get. So instead of tossing Deacon off the building like he wanted to, Hancock stuck with the spy and gently coached him so he could get to the top. When they were close enough to see Grace’s dust-covered curls, he moved ahead and hoisted himself up, leaning over the ledge to help Grace pull Deacon back onto solid ground. 

“Thanks…” Deacon said, getting to his feet- his knees were shaking and his face was pale, but he was trying not to show it. “Guess we…” he swallowed, “gotta keep moving.”

Hancock nodded. He could hear gunfire again, but at least this time there was none behind them. “Found more stairs, guys,” he said, pointing at the intact staircase. “Let’s go- we aren’t far now.”

They ran to the seventh floor, where they found an elevator. Deacon grinned. “Finally, upward travel I can get behind," he joked. "What do you guys think? Do we get in?” The spy looked at Grace and Hancock, who in turn looked at each other- this was way too similar to when they had fought Kellogg, and neither of them was in a hurry to repeat that fight. “Well?” Deacon asked again. “Last chance- what do we do?” 

Grace swallowed. “Guess we get inside.” She shuddered. “Love you, John,” she said softly. Hancock could hear what she wasn’t saying-_ in case we don’t make it_.

“No dying in there, Sunshine- I owe you a proper proposal, remember?” He grabbed her hand and kissed it as they got inside the elevator. 

Deacon sighed and got in the elevator after them. “What, no one is gonna tell me they love me or give me a kiss goodbye before I go out and fight the big scary Courser?” They glared at him and he made a face. “You guys suck,” he mumbled as the doors closed. 

_ _

* * *

  
Nick, Mac and Piper scrambled up the rubble and raced to the next floor, but it was too late- the others had already gone up, leaving Nick unsure about what they would find when they got upstairs. He hoped Gracie and the others were ok- he hadn’t heard much gunfire recently, but he wondered just the same. As they waited for the elevator to return, the detective scanned the faces of his companions, trying to get a read on the kid and the reporter. Piper was waxen and quiet, biting her lip as she fingered her pistol, but MacCready was nervously pacing back and forth, muttering to himself. Nick knew he was beating himself up for not coming with them in the first place- nothing short of seeing for himself that Grace and Hancock were ok would make him settle down.

The kid slammed his hands against the metal door. “Sheesh! How long does a friggin’ elevator take?” He put his hands in his pockets and glared at the controls as if it would make it go any faster. 

“No worries, kid… we’ll be up there in a minute.” Nick patted the kid on the shoulder and tried to calm him down.“They’re tough… they’ll be ok.” 

_ _

* * *

Hancock, Grace, and Deacon rode in silence to the top of the building, quietly creeping down the hall when the elevator doors opened. They could hear voices yelling at each other in the distance- one was flat and emotionless, and the other was the same voice that they heard through the loudspeaker earlier. 

"I'm going to get in there. It's just a matter of time…” the toneless voice said. "Tell me the password.”

The boss spoke up. “Look, Z2-47 is it? I already told you I don't have it. But,” the voice began to stammer. “I'll help you find a way in, but listen, we took the girl fair and square. All we want is a little compensation in return.”

"You are in no position to negotiate,” Z2-47 responded. "I'm going to get in there. It's just a matter of time… and yours is running out.” 

Hancock strongly suspected that the conversation down the hall was not going to end well and encouraged the others to continue down the hall. Soon, they were stopped by a locked security door. While Hancock tried to open it, Deacon noticed a terminal nearby - Hancock and Grace crept over to it, trying to break in. Then the voice spoke again, sending a chill down Hancock’s spine as he crouched down, pulling Grace with him.

"You obviously don't know- you are of no use to me,” the Courser said, followed by screams, a blast, and silence. Then Z2-47 started to speak again- apparently, there were others in the room. "All he had to do was tell me the password. Now, are you going to cooperate?"

“Grace, hurry up!” Deacon hissed from the other side of the door. “I’m thinking we want whatever cover we can get at this point!”

“I’m trying!” Grace hissed, panic creeping into her voice. “It’s just being…. Got it!” She clicked a button, and the security door clicked.

The door opened and Z2-47 turned towards them. The Courser was a tall, pale-faced man with dark hair, dressed in black leather that regarded them with a completely blank expression. "You've been following me,” it intoned. Are you here for the synth?”

When it said that, Hancock felt the room start to swim. He remembered Mama Murphy and her vision, and despite Grace clawing at his coat, he stood up. 

_I see you crouching, hiding, scared for you and her. But then, you say something- it's hard to make out._

He swallowed and closed his eyes- if this didn’t work, he knew that they were all going to die. He hoped that the old woman was right, that Grace’s crazy sister had done something that made him remember this right now, and that he wasn’t about to kill them all based on a junkie’s ramblings. But it _couldn’t_ be a coincidence- the name was the same, and he was certainly scared as shit for him and her. Taking a deep breath, Hancock looked at the synth and prayed he wasn’t speaking his last words. 

"Z2-47, initialize factory reset. Authorization code Zeta-5-3-Kilo’.”

And then, to his relief and amazement, the synth went silent. 

While Hancock stood there in shock, Grace and Deacon burst into the room, guns trained on the remaining Gunner. He could hear Grace saying something to the man, but Hancock couldn't make out anything at that point- the man nodded, racing from the room and not looking back. A few moments later, Nick, Mac, and Piper came barreling towards them, but again, Hancock barely noticed. While the others were getting their bearings, Deacon slowly went to the synth to remove the chip, handing it to Grace. She turned the chip over in her hands, looking at Hancock and smiling, but he couldn’t do a thing- he simply fell to his knees, shaking with relief as all the adrenaline exited his body at once and left him exhausted, encircled tightly in her arms.

He couldn’t believe it- _he_, the junkie mayor from Goodneighbor, the fuck-up, the ghoul, the layabout, had saved them all with nothing but a drug-fueled memory. He didn’t care how he looked right then- he was just too happy to know she was alive and well.

For _once_, he had saved her.


	23. The measure of a man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper writes her article while MacCready watches; Grace gets a reality check.

_ _

* * *

After they left the facility, the team made their way back to the Railroad headquarters. The escaped synth, Jenny, declined to come with them even after Deacon told her that they could help- this seemed to wear on the spy, causing him to be quieter than normal. While Hancock and Grace were chatting together, Piper hung back and kept to herself- her emotions were on a rollercoaster right now. She was ecstatic that Grace was not only unharmed, but friendly again to everyone after their incident. The reporter had been worried about how Grace would act towards them after they had to intervene to fix her leg, but Hancock had taken the brunt of the anger, shielding her and MacCready from Grace’s wrath. 

This ultimately led to the other reason she was feeling all types of ways- the King of the Ghouls himself. Admittedly, the reporter had never liked the mayor- she’d heard the stories about the ghoul in the red frock who ruled the lawless town of Goodneighbor since she got to Diamond City, but she’d never met him. Now, she was traveling with Hancock and Piper was conflicted- to be sure, the mayor was a right asshole, but try as she might, she couldn’t dismiss him completely. 

For one thing, her friend was in love with him, and thought Piper had valiantly tried to show her friend what a stupid idea this was, the girl had refused to listen. Grace had insisted to the reporter that Hancock was actually a good person, but in Piper’s experience that was code for ‘though he spends all evening in the Bobrov’s bar and kicks my ass, he’s really a sweetheart’, which initially only served to make the reporter watch the ghoul even closer. 

But after traveling with him and seeing his devotion to her friend, she couldn’t be entirely sure her friend was wrong and that feeling had begun to gnaw at Piper, twisting the reporter in knots as she tried to sift through her thoughts.

_ _

* * *

I was walking with MacCready for a moment- we hadn’t really talked since the incident with the Gunners and I was curious to see how he was doing. He was quiet, which was rare for him- between him and Deacon in our party, it was usually noisy. I paused, thinking about how I wanted to start, but I guess I took too long, because all of a sudden, MacCready cleared his throat. 

Surprised, I turned to my side and saw the kid shifting his weight from foot to foot, looking nervous. “Hey, Princess,” he said, “you got a minute?”

“For my annoying and adorable little brother? Course I do.” I smiled and pinched his cheeks- the merc swatted at my hands. Grinning at his irritation, I settled back, hands in my pockets. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well now that you did that, nothing,” he grumbled, rubbing his face. Finally, he gave me a genuine smile, one of the first I’d seen from him in a while. “I just wanna say thanks for what you did back there, Princess.”

“For what?” I was confused. “What’re you talking about?”

“Oh cut the sh-crud. You know what I mean. The Gunners,” he said pointedly. “You didn’t have to do that, and you dang sure didn’t have to use your favor with them on me,” he said, looking down. "I appreciate it," he said softly.

“Why do you, of all people, need to thank me for that?” I looked him square in the eye and put my hands on my hips. “They threatened you... then me,” I added, remembering the asshole. “That’s not how this goes- we're family here, damn it,” I said, poking him in the chest. “I don’t get it,” I said, tone laced with exasperation. “I mean, seriously, does anyone understand how that works out here?”

He shook his head. “Been a long time since some of us have had a family, Princess. Commonwealth ain’t exactly the most hospitable place for love and compassion.”

At his simple remark, my face fell. _Of course he was right- I was a moron._ “You’re right, Mac- I’m an idiot.”

“Now I’m not saying all that, but...” he grinned at me, then his face hardened slightly. “Speaking of family, I think I got a story to tell you and a favor to ask, if you’re up for it.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away. “Feel free to say no- I get it if you can’t.”

“Mac, why would I say no to helping you? Um, you’re out here with me to help me find my kid, which you totally don’t have to be, and otherwise you’ve been cooped up in town.” I laughed, hugging him. “Of course I’ll help."

“But your kid, Princess,” the merc said. “I know you’ve gotta be itchin to get this stuff together so you can go get him.. I know I would.”

I frowned. “If you finally get a chance to handle your business and it’s something I can help you with, why wouldn’t I do it?” I looked around, gesturing to our friends. “Yeah, I still have stuff to do, but there’s delegation, man. If someone else can’t do it for me, then it’ll wait till we get back.” I bit my lip, realizing the truth of the words I was about to say. “Much as it pains me to say it, a few days isn’t going to make that much of a damn difference if I haven’t rescued my son in ten years.” 

My face fell and the kid wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “S’ok, Princess... We’re gonna get your boy.”

“Yup, we sure are,” I said, wiping my face and turning away before I started crying like an idiot. “Now tell me what we need to do.”  
—

_ _

* * *

While Grace, Hancock and Deacon worked with Tinker Tom to decode the chip, Piper found a desk in an out-of-the way corner and decided to write. MacCready followed her- he wasn’t a fan of the Railroad and tried to make himself as scarce as possible when it came to the group. Curious about what she was up to, the merc leaned across the desk and watched as Piper took out her paper and pencil. “Getting ready to write the story of the century, Pipes?”

She chewed her pencil thoughtfully, and stared into space. “Yeah... people need to know what happened out there. And I got some making up to do the best way I know how.”

MacCready laughed. “Don’t let me keep you- I’m just here, hanging around... by my lonesome.” He moved next to her and gave the reporter puppy dog eyes. “Yep, just me, all alone over here.”

“Oh cut it out, Mac,” she said, swatting at him with her pad of paper. He held his arm as if she had hurt him and gave her a doleful glance- she sighed, eventually smiling back at him. “Fine,” she relented. “Want to help me?”

He grinned, all pretense of disinterest abandoned. “Sure- happy to help. Ain’t much of a writer though." 

"Just fact-check me, then,” she said, pointing her pencil at him. "You were there- you can do that.” 

He nodded, settling into the seat next to her as she began to write. 

_People of Diamond City-_

Mac shook his head. "Thinking too small, Pipes. This stuff is Commonwealth worthy- everyone needs to hear you." She gave the man an exasperated sigh and shook her head before starting over. 

_People of the Commonwealth:_  
_I’m here to tell you, the boogeymen are real- I’ve seen the evidence first hand. _

Mac leaned over again, peering at her paper and pointing at the line she had written. "How is this different from the rabble you usually write?"

Piper looked at him, aghast. "My articles are not rabble, MacCready!"

"Coulda fooled me,” the kid said, shrugging. He made a motion with his hand, opening and closing his fingers as he spoke."Blah blah blah, institute is coming, hide your kids, body snatching, blah blah blah.” 

"That's important stuff you're dismissing!” Piper said huffily. "The people need to know what they’re fighting against, Mac!” She chewed her lip and stared at the kid. “Who’s gonna tell them if we don’t?"

"True, but what‘s the thing you’re always blabbering on about..." The kid looked thoughtful for a minute, then snapped his fingers. “Human interest! That’s it!”

Piper shrieked. “_I will not write a fluff piece!_” A few heads, including Glory and Nick, swiveled towards her at the noise. “This type of thing is too important,” she hissed at MacCready. 

“Calm down, Pipes,” he said, placing a hand on her arm. “No one said it had to be fluff-“ he made air quotes with his fingers-“but it could be inspiring, right? Unexpected? Like showing how us little guys are actually doing something instead of sitting with our thumbs up our butts?”

“Hmmm... inspiring, huh?” She glanced down at the merc’s hand on her arm, but decided she didn’t want to say anything about it. Instead, the reporter stared at him pensively, chewing the pencil between her teeth. Suddenly, Piper had an idea about what to write- she crossed out the line and began to write again. 

_ _

* * *

_We need to rethink what we’re fighting out here, people. We know the institute is terrible- that’s nothing new, unfortunately. But I’ve seen what we need- we need people who will inspire, not those who terrify or encourage cowardice. I’ve seen first hand what inspiration can do out here. Inspiration raised the Minutemen, long since dead. It’s gotten a ghoul, a synth, a reporter, and a merc to join together to fight our real enemy. _

_And it’s caused a man to find himself. _

MacCready read this line and raised his eyebrow, but the kid didn’t say anything to distract the reporter- he just kept his hand on her arm and kept reading. 

_Most of my readers know how I feel about the exploits of John Hancock. The Mayor of Goodneighbor, the junkie, the self-proclaimed King of the Ghouls, the man with enough indiscretions to fill a full issue by himself. But inspiration makes people better than they have a right to be, and Hancock is no exception. I’m only going to say this once, but I want it in print for all of my readers to see- I was wrong. _

The kid read this last line with amazement- Pipes, admitting she was wrong about Hancock? In print? He stared at Piper and watched her with interest, but he didn’t say a word as she continued to write. 

_During our travels, I’ve seen Hancock become the version of himself we all should strive to be. The Brotherhood of Steel, with their high and mighty ideals about purity, snubbed the hands of the men that saved them, just because they were from ghouls and synths. Even the best of us would have walked away and left the paladins to their fate, but Hancock did not. Though he knew his help wouldn’t be received with open arms, I saw Hancock give it anyway. I’ve seen him lay his life on the line for his friend, protecting him from the Gunners when others could not. I saw him do what was right when it wasn’t easy, and I witnessed him stand up for all of us when he defeated one of the bounty hunters of the Institute. _

_I, of all people, do not deserve his loyalty. However, inspiration has made me want to be a better woman, one who judges people on all aspects of their character, not just the flaws that are easy to see. We’ve been conditioned to see ghouls as lesser beings, and I’m no different- I judged Hancock by his misdeeds, and never once did I try to look past them. I never saw his love for his friends and family, his devotion to righting injustice, his loyalty to a cause he believed in, or his need to protect those who can’t protect themselves. And while inspiration won’t erase past wrongs, it does show us that we can aspire to be greater than we are. And from this point on, I aspire to be a person worthy of the loyalty and respect I’ve been shown during my travels._

_History won’t appreciate the actions of a ghoul, but we can applaud the heroics of a man- today, John Hancock is that man._

_Tomorrow, it could be you._

MacCready tried to think of something to say, but couldn’t- for once, he was at a loss for words. The kid scanned the paper one more time while Piper chewed on the pencil, staring off into the distance, and realized that nothing he could ever say would come close to what she had written. Not wanting to ruin the moment, he simply placed a kiss on her cheek and walked away, his head swimming from the girl with the press cap and pencil. 

And just like her, he aspired to be better.   


_ _

* * *

The spy broke the silence as six of them stood outside of the church and tried to figure out what to do next. “You sure you don’t want Tinker Tom to help you build that thing, Grace?” Deacon asked. “I know he’s a bit… special, but you know he could build that machine for you.” 

Grace shook her head. “I’ve got a mechanic that can do it, and there’s space for something this huge in Sanctuary. Plus, it’s secure and defendable, so…” She looked around at the multiple buildings and hiding places in the North end, and shuddered. "I think I’ll go there to do it. You’re welcome to come with us, if you want.”

Hancock looked up in surprise- _she was inviting the spy_? He’d always kept an eye out in case she was playing possum and planning to stab Deacon while he slept- he thought she’d have jumped at the chance to get rid of him. 

Grace saw his expression and grinned. “Trust me, John. We’re gonna need the help.” Then her expression faltered for a minute and she bit her lip. Instantly, he began to brace himself- he knew she was going to tell him something that was likely to piss him off. “I’ve gotta go help Mac with something, but from the looks of these schematics, this machine is going need a crapton of parts. I’m figuring if you all head to Sanctuary, Mac and I can take care of what we need to and meet you all there in a few days.” She turned to Piper and smiled sadly. "I know you probably need to get back to Diamond City, but I'm gonna miss you, girlie."

Piper paused for a second, then ran over to Grace and wrapped her in a big hug. “Oh Blue... I don’t want to leave you,” she said. “Maybe I can just check in with Nat and meet you guys over in Sanctuary, you know?”

Hancock barely heard the reporter at this point- all he heard was that Grace was about to take on a trip somewhere with the kid. He’d be lying if he said they idea of her setting off without him didn’t set his nerves on edge, but this time that wasn’t it- just like with her keeping the spy around, she had made the decision without checking to see what he thought about the matter. 

And that pissed him _off_. 

Since her suggestions were usually pretty agreeable to him, Hancock mostly shrugged things like this off, but now? Now he felt insulted. It was a testament to who she was that he hadn’t lost his temper yet, but the man had his limits. He stood there watching as the two women talked and realized he was growing angrier and angrier with each passing moment- How dare she try to blow past this without talking about it? They were supposed to be _partners_, for fuck’s sake. 

He knew he wasn’t handling it the best way he could and he _knew_ it was likely to go ass up ten ways from Sunday, but fuck it- this shit was getting resolved _now_.  


_ _

* * *

Just as I was about to offer options to Piper, Hancock placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hold on, Wright- lemme cut in for a minute,” he said gently. He let out a deep breath, then fixed me with a hard stare. “So, you mean to tell me the two of you -“ he pointed at Mac and I- “are gonna go traipsing around the Commonwealth? Without backup?” He closed his eyes then looked up at the sky, clearly trying to not lose his shit. “You want to explain that one, Sunshine? Cause I’m listening... like _now_.”

I raised my eyebrow, taking strong offense to his tone. Now if there was one thing in life I did not appreciate, it was being talked to like a child, let alone in front of other people. For a moment, I considered telling him right where he could step the fuck off, but I took a moment to look at the others- no one else looked as furious as I felt, and even Piper, who I would have expected to be ready to fight, just looked curious. Judging by their expressions I was alone in my righteousness, but that didn’t mean I was just going to roll over and take it. 

Taking a deep inhale through my nose, I pursed my lips, covering them with my hand and closing my eyes until I could trust myself to speak again. “Hancock,” I said slowly, staring at the ghoul. The group looked between us nervously- I never called him by his last name, so they knew I was pissed.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten who I was dealing with- the man was more pigheaded than I was. “_Grace_,” he said tersely. 

_Okay, he wasn’t going to make this easy- fair enough_. I smiled brightly at the rest of the group, hoping to not elevate this into a full-on screaming match in front of everyone. “Hey Nick, let’s all start heading back towards Goodneighbor, ok? Hancock and I can take up the rear, you guys can take point.” 

Nick just nodded and guided Piper and MacCready to go upfront with him, but Deacon just smirked. “Nah, I think I’d rather hang back, if it’s all the same to you, Grace.”

_Oh my god, if I didn’t think I would need you down the line, I’d totally shoot you_. “It isn’t all the same to me, Deacon,” I said, smiling and gritting my teeth. “I’d really appreciate you going up front,” I said, jaw clenched. “Like now.” 

He saw my control fading fast and decided not to push the issue. “Fair enough.” He clapped Hancock on the shoulder. “Good luck with that,” he said as he walked upfront. 

When I was satisfied that they had gotten a good distance ahead of us, I looked at Hancock out the corner of my eye and slowly started walking. “Please don’t do that again,” I said quietly, keeping my face neutral. “Don’t you _ever_ scold me like I’m your kid... and for damn sure don’t try it in front of people.” 

To his credit, he followed my lead- he didn’t raise his voice and his tone was shockingly pleasant. “And here I thought we were _partners_… Grace.” I raised my eyebrow at him using my name again, but I didn’t comment on it- _if this was the game we were playing, then fuck it- let’s play_. 

“We are… and that’s what I was about to talk to you about, before you jumped in,” I told him, my tone clipped. “I was hoping you would trust me enough to go and handle this for our friend while the rest of you guys got started getting this machine built.” I stopped to fix him with a look. “Being partners doesn’t mean that we’re up in each other’s ass twenty-four seven, John… it just means we handle things together.”

“You’re full of shit, Grace,” he said curtly- I stared at him, openmouthed. “_Partners means we handle things together_,” he mimicked. “Really? You want to run that one by me one more time, cause I ain’t get the chance to buy that bullshit the first time you tried to sell it to me.” 

_Oh shit, he was seriously pissed off... _

I was in shock, but he sure as hell wasn’t. “You know, you got a bad habit of saying one thing and doing another.” He flicked his eyes to the group and gave me a kiss on the cheek and I touched the spot with my hand as if he’d slapped me. 

When he saw my reaction, Hancock visibly flinched. “You wanted us to pretend we weren’t having words, remember? Hey, whatever you want- that’s fine by me. ” Then he leaned down to my ear, lowering his voice to a whisper. "But just to be clear, we are _so_ fucking having words right now.” 

_Okay, this was not the outcome I was expecting_. “Are you fucking bipolar?” I asked, aghast. “What the fuck is wrong with you, John?”

“If I knew what bipolar _was_, I could answer that question, but since I don’t, I’ll just tell you why I’m pissed right now… might save you the time of _deciding it for me_,” he hissed. “Tell me something… _partner_,” he said sarcastically, “when was it decided that you’d go off with the kid and have me lead a second group? Did I miss that particular planning session? Cause from where I’m standing, it looks like you got this idea in your head and decided not tell me about it until the last minute… almost like you were hoping I wouldn’t notice.” 

He fixed his dark eyes on me and spoke with such ice that it made me shiver. “But if I were to do some shit like that, you'd lose your goddamn mind. Well, guess what? That shit goes both ways- you don’t get to decide for me, either.” 

He stopped, balling his hands into fists at his sides- seeing this was escalating quickly, I looked down and eyed his hands warily. After a moment, he noticed me watching him and tensing up- immediately he relaxed his hands, his face falling at the realization. “Oh shit,” he said, pulling me in close for a hug. While I didn’t pull away, I certainly didn't return his embrace and I could feel him sag against me. “No... please don’t do that, Sunshine,” he said softly. "That ain’t _never_ happening- I don’t care _how_ mad I am.” 

When I didn’t relax, he released me and I looked away, hands in my pockets. “You were the best choice for the second team, John. Mac really doesn’t want everyone in his business- I get the feeling only you, Nick and I know what’s going on. Plus, you’re the only one who’s been to Sanctuary lately, and even if Preston isn’t your biggest fan-“ Hancock snorted and I smiled softly, “at least he knows you’re with me, which means he’d help us out if he thought it’d get me back there faster. It wasn’t anything personal- it was just business, John.” I frowned. “You’re acting like I did this to you on purpose- I _didn’t_.” I said flatly.

“But you did," he said quietly. “I could tell as soon as I saw you biting your lip, Sunshine. Look,” he said, “I ain’t arguin’ your plan- I’m just sayin’ I would’ve liked to know what it was when you thought of it. Had you just told me that instead of tryin' to order me around, we’d be havin’ a different conversation right now.” Sighing, he shook his head at me. “Not sayin’ I handled it the right way, but what you did back there? That ain't what being partners is. You and me,” he said, pointing back and forth between the two of us, “we gotta decide what to do together. This one person deciding and the other one following shit ain’t how we work, Sunshine- we’re both too stubborn for that and you know it.”

He saw the understanding on my face and I slumped my shoulders, realizing I couldn’t argue with him on that one. “You’re right,” I said. "I sure as hell wasn’t trying to tell you right away- I knew you were just going to pitch a bitch about it when I told you, but it wasn’t malicious- I just wanted to help the kid.”

Hancock smirked and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I get it, but that don’t mean you don’t get to hide somethin’ from me cause you think I’m gonna get mad. That’s not how we work, Sunshine. Rule number one, remember?"

“Touché,” I said, feeling my anger slowly ebb away. “I’ll admit I fucked up on this one by not talking to you if you admit you fucked up in the way you came at me. We don’t fight in public- there’s enough drama out here without us adding fuel to that fucking dumpster fire.”

Hancock shrugged. “Already said that- no arguments from me, Sunshine.” He stuck out his hand. “Partners?” 

“Partners, John.” I grinned as I shook his hand. “You know, this was the fastest fight in history, John- I think you’re doing it wrong.” 

He pulled me close again and this time, I relaxed in his arms. “Nah, that wasn’t a fight,” he said. 

I stared at him with utter confusion and he laughed, placing another kiss on my cheek- this time, I didn't flinch. “Look," he said, "I said my peace, you said yours, and now we’re gonna fix it, simple as that.” He saw my perplexed expression and continued, a smile playing across his lips. "Look, I ain’t perfect and I ain’t gonna pretend like I am- I know I do shit like this too. But you got every right to call me out on my it, cause you better believe I’m gonna do the same. Life's too short out here, Sunshine.” 

“Fair enough,” I said.


	24. Loose Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Nick and Hancock get some insight into Nick’s past, Grace helps MacCready with something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to me- I couldn’t resist being able to give you guys the gift of more story and micro smut for my birthday! Obviously that means that a portion of this is NSFW. Just sayin’.
> 
> I’m working on Ch.31 right now and should be done writing by the end of the month (air travel makes for great writing time), so this story is rolling right along to it’s conclusion! Thank you all for everything and sticking with me- we have almost 500 hits right now and I am absolutely flabbergasted at the love for these Misfits- they really are the gift that just keeps on giving!

_ _

* * *

That afternoon, we crossed into Goodneighbor to rest up before we all split off- Mac and I would be heading to the Med-Tek facility so I could see about getting into a terminal and Nick and Hancock were headed to Sanctuary to talk to Sturges about building the relay. Deacon and Piper had already left, heading towards Diamond City so Piper could take care of a few loose ends- they’d meet us all in Sanctuary. 

While I was sad to see Piper leave, I had to admit that I was happy to see the back of the spy. Just because I let him stay didn’t mean I trusted him- all that jazz about keeping your enemies closer certainly applied here. Having him out of my hair for a minute was a bit of a relief.

When we got to the gates, Hancock and Mac went ahead to greet Fahrenheit, and the detective hung back with me. As we approached, he noticed my solemn expression and gave my shoulder a squeeze. “You alright, Gracie?”

“Just thinking,” I said. “It got kinda tense this morning.”

He looked over at Hancock talking as Fahr gestured at him wildly. “You know, this is gonna be the first time he ain’t been with ya since...” he thought about it for a moment. “Since the beginning, actually- been you and John since I met you, sweetheart. Think splitting up a pairing like that comes easy?”

“Not for anyone, Nick,” I said. He smiled, and I leaned into his arm. “You know, I never asked if you minded me calling you my dad back there, and if you did, I apologize- its just that I wish my dad was more like you,” I said softly. 

Nick gave me a wink. “You wanted your dad to toddle around the deserted streets of Boston with you and your friends while you stopped a shadowy organization?” I punched him lightly in the shoulder and he kissed my head. 

"If he was like you, then hell yeah," I said with a grin. Then, I had a thought and turned to the detective. “Hey Nick... did you have any kids... before?” I asked. His face went slack and I immediately felt horrible for asking. “I’m sorry..." I stammered. "You don’t have to tell me-“

“No... it’s not that.” The detective patted my arm. “It’s just... I- the old Nick, I mean, had a fiancé, once upon a time. She... passed away. Before the war,” he said sadly. 

“Oh Nick...” I said, acutely aware of what he was feeling. “I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah...” he said, staring off into the distance. He didn’t offer anything else and I didn’t ask anymore questions. Instead, I threw my arms around his waist and buried my face in his coat, hugging him for all I was worth.

It was all I could think to do. 

_ _

* * *

Hancock didn’t know what to do about the woman laying in bed next to him. 

He’d made love to her as soon as they got into bed together- afterimages of her in his arms danced across his vision as he remembered the flush creeping over her skin as he explored her with his mouth. He savored how she tasted as he darted his tongue in and out of her, and remembered the delicious pulses of her body as she came against his fingers. He smiled to himself at the memory of her begging him to enter her, to claim her as his, and how he’d only been too happy to oblige, remembering the warmth and wetness he felt when he slid inside her, and how he moaned in ecstasy when she rolled her hips against him. 

Hancock could still feel the vibrations of her voice, deep and throaty against his neck as she called out his name, the wonderful shivers of her body when he brought her to orgasm and the sweet release he felt when he couldn’t take anymore and gave her everything he had and she took it, crying out for him as he gave himself to her. 

And god help him, he wished he could etch the sensation of the soft tips of her fingers into his brain as she stroked his cheek and whispered she loved him. 

Even now, every time he heard those three words escape her lips, he thought he was mishearing her- surely she couldn’t be talking to him. But like always, she just smiled and said she was his- always was and always would be, so who else would she be talking to? And as usual, her reassurances caused Hancock to settle down, allowing himself to feel safe and secure in her embrace once again. Eventually, she lay against him and he’d begun stroking her brown and blond curls, mesmerized by the sound of her breathing as she fell fast asleep against him. 

As he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, Hancock felt his anxiety growing- he knew they both needed to rest, but he desperately didn’t want the dawn to come. Tomorrow would be the first time in months he’d have to fall sleep without Grace next to him, and for the first time since he’d met her, Hancock was dreading the sunrise. 

“Sunshine,” he said as he ran his fingers up and down the small of her back. “You still up?”

“Barely,” she said. “You wear me out,” she said sleepily as she rolled over and draped her arms around his neck. Hancock knew she was lying- Grace had, in fact, been well on her way to a deep sleep, but he loved her even more for the little lie right then. 

“That’s usually the idea,” he admitted. “You got a minute?”

“For you? Always,” she said, pulling herself closer to him. “What’s on your mind?” 

He felt himself growing hard again as he felt the heat from her skin on his, and as they lay next to each other, Hancock didn't know what to do. In the old days, it was easy to forget things- he would have fucked her senseless, gotten a hit of Jet to calm his nerves, or in most cases, do both. This time, when he saw those big green eyes, clouded with sex and sleep, staring up at him, he realized he didn’t want to forget- he couldn’t forget all the things he felt for the woman next to him.

“I’m scared, Sunshine,” he admitted. “You’re going off on your own and I can’t save you.” He reached his hand up and pulled her head to his. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do without you next to me... and it scares the shit out of me.” She started to say something, but he cut her off, crushing his lips to hers and wishing for a moment that she would change her mind and just stay. He secretly hoped if he kissed her long enough, hard enough, and well enough, she’d realize that she didn’t have to leave him- they could handle it together, just like always.

Hancock hoped and wished with every fiber of his being, but deep inside, he knew that no matter what he did right now, dawn was still coming and she would have to leave him. He told himself she wasn’t the same person who had no idea how the new world worked- this woman was his, and she was confident, capable and ruthless when she had to be. He tried to console himself with the fact that Mac would protect her and make sure she got back into his arms safe and sound, but those thoughts didn’t stop him from showering her with kisses and making love to her again.

Dawn was coming too quickly and the memories were fading- he needed to remember every inch of her. 

_ _

* * *

The sun was rising over town, stippling everthing in a golden haze as it rose high in the sky. Mac and I were leaving in a few hours, but Hancock and I were still in our room, dragging our feet and avoiding the inevitable. As I pulled on my boots, I stared at Hancock, who was laying naked in bed and watching me from across the room. Not too eager to leave, I walked over and sat next to him. “You guys better be there when we get to Sanctuary, or I’m gonna be pissed, John.”

“I think that’s my line, Sunshine,” he said, propping himself up and kissing my neck- I giggled. When he stopped, Hancock rested his chin on my shoulder and placed his hands around my waist. “I love you, you know that, right?” He ran his finger down the side of my face, closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of my hair. "Figured I don’t tell you that enough.”

I nodded and he kissed me on the cheek softly. “I love you too, John.” Suddenly, I was hit with an idea. “Hon, you got a pencil and some paper I can borrow? 

He pointed at the desk. “Top drawer... knock yourself out.” He smirked at me and twirled my hair in hands. “What, writing me a love letter before you go?”

I smiled back. “Nah, I got something better.” Amidst his protests, I got off the bed and reached into my pack, pulling out my phone and saying a silent prayer of thanks to Sam for insisting on sending me off with a solar charger. Grinning at the man who was watching me with interest, I walked out onto the balcony. I was careful to keep my back to the street to avoid people seeing what I was up to, but I didn’t need to worry- no one was outside at this hour. 

When I came back in, he was half-dressed and waiting for me. “What are you up to over there,” he asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist. Then he looked down and saw my phone in my hand and looked up with confusion. “Whatcha got that out for?”

“Because I’m giving it to you,” I said. His eyes widened and he shook his head as I grabbed his arm and dropped it into his hand. “You need to keep this safe for me while I’m gone. Besides,” I joked, “You always wanted a picture of me- now you have all of them.”

“Sunshine, I _can’t_,” he protested. “If something happens to this-“

“Between you and Nick, nothing will,” I said plaintively. I cocked my thumb to the desk. “That’s why I want the paper- gotta leave you some instructions on how to use it when I’m not around.”

I could see the emotions warring in his face- on one hand, he wanted nothing to do with the gift, but on the other I could see that he was ten seconds from clutching it to his chest and destroying anyone who dared to touch it. I touched my hand to his face, stroking his cheek with my fingertips. “John, you’re literally the only one in the entire world I trust with that right now, and if I can use it to give you some peace of mind while I’m gone, then you get it, no questions asked.“

“Sunshine...” he said nervously, pulling me close and hugging me tight. “I feel like you’re saying goodbye to me.”

“Never- I’m always coming back to you, John,” I said, holding his cheeks and placing a kiss on his lips. We closed our eyes as our heads touched, trying to avoid thinking about our upcoming separation. “Partners, remember?” 

“Partners, Sunshine,” he said as he clutched me tightly to his chest. 

_ _

* * *

Grace and Mac had left, leaving Nick with a downright sullen Hancock. Hancock’s hand was clutching something in his pocket- he hadn’t removed his hand for more than a minute since she had left, and he had barely spoken more than two words to anyone, even Daisy. “You alright there, John?” the detective asked- right now he wasn’t sure if Hancock should move from the couch, let alone travel all the way to Sanctuary. 

“Yeah,” came the irritated reply. 

The detective had expected the response and grinned- by the way he was acting, he’d almost swear Grace had dumped the boy, but he knew better. “You miss her already, huh?” 

“I want her home, Nick,” he said. “I can’t protect her out there if I ain’t with her.”

Nick raised an eyebrow at him. “In the old days, couples had separate jobs, you know. We spent whole days without each other, and no one-“ he almost said _died_, but then he stopped himself. “.. and it worked,” he said finally. 

Hancock stared at his hands. “I’m scared, Nick,” he said softly. “I’m scared something’s gonna happen to her and I won’t get a chance to say goodbye.”

“I understand that more than you know, John,” Nick said absentmindedly, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it.

There was something about the way Nick trailed off that caused Hancock to pay attention again. He turned to the detective, eyes focusing on him. “Something on your mind, Nick?”

“Meh, just old memories,” the detective said dismissively. “Been coming up a lot since I got in the doc’s chair, ya know?” Nick offered Hancock a cigarette- the ghoul took it, lighting it and relaxing against the sofa. 

“Care to share? Everyone’s in my love life- finally time for me to get the dirt on everyone else.” He took an inhale and exhaled, encasing the room in a cloud of smoke. “So, what was it? Was the great Nick Valentine a ladies man? Fending off all the dames left and right?”

Nick smiled. “Unlike you, I was a one-woman man, John.” 

“That ain’t exactly accurate anymore, old man,” Hancock said with a wry smile. "Only one woman out here for me and you know it."

“True… guess I gotta change that statement now, huh?” Nick looked at the ghoul and laughed, shaking his head. “Never thought I’d see the day, is all."

“Sorry to shake up your world view,” Hancock said with a smile. “So wait, you were married?” He sat on the couch and stared at the detective intently, finally removing his hand from his pocket to fold them behind his head. “I’m curious- what’s your deal, Valentine?”

The detective wondered if he should bow out of the conversation, but this was the second time one of his friends had asked him about his past and Nick was starting to get the feeling that the universe was trying to tell him something. Finally, he sighed. “Long story, John,” he said reluctantly.

“I got nothing but time,” Hancock said. “Hey, what else are friends for?” 

“Funny… after all these years we’re finally friends now,” the detective said with a smile. “Better late than never, I suppose.”

“You’re running,” Hancock said gently. 

Nick stared at him, confused. “Excuse me?” 

Hancock looked just as confused for a moment, then realized his mistake. “Sorry, something me and Grace say to each other when we start avoiding shit. That girl is a grade-A runner, but right now you’re giving her a run for her money. What gives, Valentine?”

Nick took another drag on the cigarette, staring out the window. “You sure you want this story, John?“

“Wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” Hancock said plainly. “What happened, Nick?”

Nick sighed. “Like Gracie, I was a Boston transplant. Came here from Chicago with my fiancé.”

“So you really were in it for the long haul, huh?” Hancock smiled at this. “Tell me about her- what was she like?”

“Jenny Lands was the best friend I’ve ever had.” Nick said, a faraway smile on his face. “That woman was everything.” He stared down at his hands, rubbing his fingers absentmindedly. "John, she was amazing- she was funny, sweet, kind, and the most gorgeous woman in the room, any room. Hell, Gracie reminds me of her sometimes,” he said thoughtfully. “She’s got that same fire- Jenny was always trying to change the world, damn the consequences.” He shook his head and smiled. “She was smart as a whip, too- never understood what she saw in a guy like me.”

Hancock grinned. “Now I don’t feel so bad about wondering what the hell Sunshine’s doin’ with me.”

“I’d say so, John- sometimes you just get someone so great that you can’t figure out why they chose you.” He walked over and sat next to the ghoul, patting him on the shoulder. “But you take it and treasure it, because that feeling…” Nick smiled, getting a faraway look on his face. “It’s worth everything you have and then some. Just seeing them smile at you like you’re the best thing since sliced bread, when they yell at you for being stupid in one breath but then tell you they love you in another, or when they throw themselves at you after a long day...” 

He turned to Hancock and shook his head at the memory. “That was the best part about being away from her all day, you know? Coming home to that little minx throwing her arms around me and kissing me like she was gonna suffocate if I didn’t kiss her back to life.” He smiled at the memory, turning away from Hancock. “I was gonna marry that girl- I wanted to feel like that for the rest of my life.”

“How did you...” Hancock thought about it for a moment. “How did you propose to her? I... I don’t know how to do it, Nick.”

Nick raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Are you asking Gracie to marry you, John?” 

“You already _know_ I am,” Hancock said, frowning. “So I’m tryin’ to get ideas… cause I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m supposed to do.” He grinned wickedly. “Figured if a stick in the mud like you could get a dame like that to agree, whatever you did had to be pretty good.”

“Fair enough.” He laid back, arms stretched out on the back of the couch. “Well, Jenny loved snooping around... she used to joke that she was a better detective than me any day of the week,” he said laughing. “So one day, I ask her to prove it to me… I hand her a note and tell her that I got five clues hidden across the city, and that she had eight hours to find them all.”

“Eight hours? That’s not a long time, Nick,” Hancock said, brow furrowed. “How was she supposed to get to all of them in time?”

“We had cars and trains back then, John,” Nick said with a chuckle. “Didn’t take us that long to get to places.”

“Must’ve been nice,” Hancock said, popping a mentat. “Where’d you send her?”

The detective smiled at the young man who was enraptured with his tale. “Well, the first one had her going to where we met, the second one sent her to where we had our first date, the third was where we had our first fight, the fourth was where I told her I loved her, and the fifth was at our house. Once she left for the first clue, I had filled the living room with her favorite flowers and I was waiting on the couch with my mom’s ring when she came back home. However,” he said, laughing at the memory, “I hadn’t counted on it storming when I sent her on that hunt.“

Hancock laughed out loud. “Seriously?” 

Nick nodded. “Yep... She finished about an hour early and came back in the house, looking like a drowned rat... took one look at me and burst out laughing. Definitely not the reaction I expected, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t expect to look like she’d been tossed in a pool on her engagement day either, so we were even,” he said, chuckling. "Best day of my life."

“Sounds like it,” Hancock agreed. The two sat in silence for a minute, the ghoul thinking and the detective lost in his memories. Something about this was clicking in Hancock’s brain, but he wasn’t sure what it was just yet. “Sounds like you were happy, Nick,” he said after a minute.

Nick nodded. “Sure was.”

“So... what happened?” Hancock stared at the detective expectantly. “Was it the war?”

“Nope.” Nick laughed mirthlessly. “Came over here from Chicago to lead an op to take down Eddie Winter. Operation Winter’s End.“

_Oh no... no no no_. It had finally clicked in his brain and he wanted to take back the conversation immediately. He’d heard about this case, even sent some folks out to collect the old case files for Kent. He’d never dreamed that this was about Nick. But, he knew he had to ask... he had to be sure. “So...” he said softly, “what happened to your girl?”

“Winter,” he said tersely. “That sonofabitch found her. He had her killed her to get to me, as payback for me being on the operation. And then, the bastards I worked for let him go.”

“The fuck?” Hancock was outraged- Winter should have been sucking on a bullet... or ten. He couldn’t imagine his world if something like that had happened to Grace, but he knew one thing for sure- the asshole responsible would not have been breathing afterward. 

Nick just sighed. “Different world then, John...” I wasn’t important enough to them to stop a big case like that. They let him go in order to get all of his cronies. And he got off... scott free.”

Hancock was aghast, staring at the synth. “Holy _fuck_, Nick... how are you still breathin’?”

Nick smiled at him sadly. “I’m not, John. Pre-war Nick, remember?” He tapped his head, the sound of metal on metal echoing through the room. “Got ordered to go get my brain shrunk at C.I.T- and here we go... Winter was the gift that fucking keeps on giving- that’s how the Institute got the memories.”

“I... I’m so sorry, Nick,” Hancock looked at the ground. “You must think I’m a right asshole, bitching about Sunshine goin’ off and you...” he waved his arm at Nick- “Dealin’ with all that.”

“Long time ago,” he said, pulling out an old tape from his pocket and fingering it. “Doesn’t mean I still don’t want to blow his brains out every damn day.”

_ _

* * *

Hancock’s eyes zeroed in on the tape, brain churning a mile a minute. He knew. He knew exactly what it was, and he knew he probably shouldn’t tell the man. But he also knew that this was his friend, and if something like this ever happened to Grace, god forbid, he would want them to move heaven and earth to help him end the sonofabitch responsible. “What’s that,” he asked, dreading the answer. 

“One of the holotapes. These little fuckers are the key to finding Winter. That bastard pulled a you, John... turned himself into a ghoul. He’s out there, holed up in a bunker. But I need the rest of these little tapes to get the code so I can get in.” Nick sighed and finished his cigarette, which had burned down to almost nothing at this point. “Swiped this one and the case files from Cambridge awhile ago... never could find the others.”

Hancock squirmed in his seat, dreading what he was about to say. “Nick... I got something to tell you,” he said- the detective looked up at him with interest. “The reason you can’t find those tapes... is that they’ve been found already.”

“What do you mean, ‘you’ve found them already’,” Nick asked, barely controlling his tone as his eyes glowed with anger. “I’m not sure I’m following you, John."

Hancock sighed. “We found them a while ago, sent them to Kent. He's a crime buff- said it was like a real-life version of one of his comics.” The ghoul stood, putting his hands back into his pockets. “Nick,” he said quietly, "Kent has them all.. except _that one_.”

“Then we’re going to see Kent. Right now.” Nick’s tone brokered no argument- when the detective stormed out of the room, Hancock had no choice but to follow. 

_ _

* * *

MacCready and I were heading towards the medical facility, but the kid had been quiet all morning. I was worried about him- it wasn’t like him to go more than fifteen minutes without running his mouth, and he’d seemed nervous all day. I’d tried joking with him, but most of my attempts fell flat and resulted in silence. After a few miles of this oppressive silence, I’d had enough, and I stopped, turning to the kid with my hands on my hips. “Out with it,” I said. “Time to come clean or I leave your ass right here. What’s got you so shook up that you haven’t said boo since we left.” I smirked. “Thought I was supposed to be the mopey one.”

He grinned. “You don’t own mopey, Princess.”

“No, but I do it better than you,” I said with a grin. “Seriously, Mac... what’s going on? I’m out here on a secret mission for god knows what, and you're about as quiet as a church-mouse over here... I’m not about to rob someone, am I?”

He shook his head. “Nope, wouldn’t drag you out here for a robbery- wouldn’t want to split the profits.” He offered a smile, but I just stared at him and he sighed, fiddling with something in his pocket. “Look, we’re going to get something to save my boy, Princess. He’s… real sick and I got a lead on a cure, but it’s stuck in this nest of fu-friggin ferals.”

“What?” I looked at MacCready, dumbfounded. “You wanna run that one by me again? _You have a sick kid_? And why is this the first I’m hearing about this?” I shot him a look. “With as long as we’ve been traveling together, I’m actually kinda hurt you didn’t tell me about this, Mac- we could have done this a long time ago!”

The kid looked down. “Well, you had your own problems, Princess.” I glared at him and he sighed. "Look,” he said, “I just didn't want anyone getting hurt on this job- the last guy who came out with me died. I wasn’t pulling you in this mess until I was sure you could handle it.”

“Whatever... I’m more pissed off that the fact that _you had a kid_ never came up, even though you’re out here busting your ass to help me find mine," I said, crossing my arms. "So yeah, still mad, Mac.”

“Princess...” he sighed. “Don’t you have things you don’t want to talk about?”

_Well, that’s an understatement_.”Yeah,” I said softly. “I want to help, Mac, but you gotta trust me. Friends don’t work that way.” 

He nodded and I felt sick to my stomach the moment the words left my lips- here I was asking him to trust me with his secrets, but I hadn’t come close to trusting him with mine.

_Hancock was right- I’m a goddamn hypocrite. _

“Mac,” I said, swallowing. “When we get to Sanctuary, we gotta talk- there’s some things I gotta tell you and Nick about.”

He looked confused, but unlike me, he didn’t push it. “Ok, Princess,” he said finally. “But in the meantime, can we just pretend everything’s cool and go save my boy?”

_ _

* * *

“I need those tapes, John,” Nick said. “Are you sure he still has them?” 

Before Hancock could answer, Nick had pushed open the door and headed for Kent's studio. Hancock had never seen the detective like this- Nick was single-minded and determined as he stormed off towards the Memory Den, and it was frightening. He was struggling to keep up with Nick’s purposeful strides as he ran after him- he hoped against hope that Nick wouldn’t try to murder the old ghoul. “Nick... wait up a second,” he said, breathing a little heavier than normal from the unexpected exertion. “You gotta remember this is _Kent_. We gotta be gentle with the old man- he didn’t do anything to you. You need to get mad at someone, get mad at me, ok?”

The detective finally stopped. “What…” Nick blinked for a moment, staring at Hancock. “Why would you say that? I ain’t mad at you all... I just need those tapes.” He turned to face him, eyes closed. “Look, once I find these tapes, I'm going to get him, John.” The synth’s voice began to waver. “I know we promised to help Gracie, but Jenny’s been waiting too long for this. This ends _now_,” he said.

This was a sentiment Hancock could get behind- revenge was something he understood, something that made him feel alive. He put his hand on the detective’s shoulder, ready to help him with whatever he needed. “Let’s just go chat with Kent and get you those tapes. I’m with ya all the way on this one, Nick.” 

Nick visibly relaxed at his words. “Thanks, John.” He leaned against the door, resting his head on the wooden frame. “It’s been so long... and I’m finally close.”

“Hey, no need to apologize to me of all people,” he said. “But I think I’d prefer if you let me talk to Kent, ok?” He stared at the detective, hoping that he would calm down at least a little bit- in the state he was in, Nick was terrifyingly close to being the living embodiment of the stories about murderous synths.

“Fair enough, the detective said. “I’ll follow your lead, John."

_ _

* * *

As the ghouls chased us up the stairs, Mac and I raced for the office, slamming the door shut and throwing ourselves against it. I stared at Mac, panting as we caught our breath. “I gotta hand it to you, kid,” I said. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time. Rotting buildings, super mutants, feral ghouls…” I smirked. “You’d better be careful- I think you’re sending me mixed signals, kid.”

He laughed breathlessly, reloading his gun. “Princess, I know we’re alone in here, but when you talk like that I can’t shake the feeling that Hancock is gonna pop up and try to throttle me for hitting on you. So, to be on the safe side, _please_ don’t joke like that,” he said with a smirk as he loaded his pistol. “I didn’t fight through all these ferals to get picked off by a ghoul I actually like.”

“If it were that easy to get John here, I’d have accused you of flirting awhile ago,” I said as I looked at him- he nodded and I threw open the door, watching as the kid fired, taking down the ghouls that had chased us up here. “Nice shot,” I said, eyeing the corpses.

“Which one? The one where I saved our butts, or the one where I saved our butts again? I can never tell what impresses you anymore.”

“Kid, the mere fact you aren’t pissing your pants and sucking your thumb is impressive enough for me,” I said jokingly, sliding into the seat next to the terminal. We had made our way into the executive offices for the building so I could stop the containment alert for the research labs below. The password he had let me into the system, but finding the proper commands was a bit of a bitch. After a couple of tries, I got access and the alert shut off. “And we’re in business,” I said. “Ready to hit the basement?” 

“I’ve been ready for a long time,” he said, reloading his gun and holstering it. “Let’s go pop some more ferals and get this medicine.”

We started to head downstairs, taking out any of the enemies we had missed along the way. Soon, it was quiet except for our footfalls and I turned to look at the merc, curious to hear more about the kid he had kept hidden for so long. “So, is your boy with his mom?”

Mac shook his head. “No… he’s staying with some friends.” He paused, then continued. “His mom died awhile back, so it’s just him and me. Anyway…” he said, trying to change the subject. “Sounds like you’re fishing to see if I got a girlfriend, Princess, but like I said, you gotta control yourself- I’m not a homewrecker.”

I laughed softly. “I’d expect nothing less, kid. You’re always the consummate gentleman.” The merc bowed and I laughed, unwilling to pry into his past any further.

_ _

* * *

Hancock felt like he was in a weird dream- he had never seen Nick like this. Poor Kent had cowered in the corner, terrified that Nick was going to murder him for even having the tapes- Hancock had spent the entire time consoling the poor ghoul. In the end, he promised him that he’d help him complete his Silver Stroud collection to make up for it. The detective had scoured the tapes at breakneck speed and quickly figured out the code he needed- Hancock barely had time to say goodbye before Nick had flown out the door. 

“Where we headed?” Hancock called ahead to Nick, who was halfway down the street at this point. “And before we go out looking for this guy with guns blazing, do you mind stopping back by the house so I can, you know, _get guns_?” 

“Sorry... Didn’t realize,” Nick said, absentmindedly. “Wait,” he said, finally recognizing that Hancock was still standing behind him. “You’re going with me?” 

“Damn right, old man. Sunshine’ll kill me if something happens to you.” He took advantage of the detective’s momentary distraction and caught up to him. “Plus, I get it- that bastard needs to go, and I’m happy to help. Besides,” he said with a grin. “It ain’t like I’m itchin’ to spend any more quality time with the Boy Scout than I have to.“

_ _

* * *

The kid and I scanned the room, trying to determine the best way to play this. We were running a little low on ammo at this point, and it wasn’t like the ferals were offering up much in the way of spare supplies. At this rate, we would need to stop off at a town somewhere to resupply if we wanted to have a chance of making it to Sanctuary. I was kicking myself for insisting that it be just the two of us right now- we so could have used the help, and the Glowing One prowling around the entrance to the lab did nothing to alleviate my concerns. Luckily, it hadn’t noticed us yet, so we had time to stop and think for a bit. A terminal stood on the side of the room, but I just knew if I tried to rush the door it would certainly be locked- I'd be right back at the terminal, with nothing but a few extra claw marks in me for my troubles. 

While I was biting my lip and reloading my gun, something dawned on me- I could get into range of the Glowing One and get a clean shot without getting sick. Then, we might have a chance to get the hell out of here without throwing rocks at anything else we came across. However, this was going to take some explanation that I was pretty damn sure the kid was going to have questions about. In the end, I decided the rewards were worth it. "Mac," I hissed. " I'm going to get closer so I can get a head shot on him." I smirked and readied my gun. "No sense in wasting ammo."

The kid shook his head and grabbed my arm. “Um… you’re gonna soak up all those rads and be useless out here- I don't have enough meds to go up against a Glowing One! Find another plan, Princess- I'm not going to be the one to tell the mayor I microwaved his girlfriend."

"You know how I said that I had to talk to you guys later?" I asked, gently prying his hand off and sitting my pack down next to him. He nodded and I grinned at the merc. "Well, we can kick off part of this discussion right now- I'm immune to radiation.” 

And with that I set off, leaving the kid staring at me in complete shock as I crept over to a nearby desk, tasting that metallic taste in my mouth as I drew closer. The ghoul still wasn’t paying attention to me, so I lined up my shot, and-

_CRASH_!

I had knocked over a clipboard, causing the ghoul to look up and charge in my direction. Knowing I was fucked, I did the only thing I could think of- I grabbed the creature and screamed. “Mac!” I yelled, pushing it against a desk and ducking. “Shoot this motherfucker now!” 

_CRACK_! The sound of his rifle split through the air and I was suddenly showered with bits of skin and bone as the near-perfect shot took off the right half of the ghoul’s face. Quickly, I tried to clean myself off as best I could and gave the kid a thumbs up as I got to my feet. MacCready’s face was furious. “What the fu-heck was that, Princess? You could’ve gotten yourself killed! And,” he said, retching, “you gotta get out of those clothes- they’re covered in radioactive ghoul.”

“Fuck,” I said, making a face. “Guess I better change… and burn these.” I looked down at my ruined clothes and frowned. “Damn… I really liked this shirt, too.”

“I didn’t, so good riddance,” Mac said. “Now would you change out of that before I start looking like your sweetheart or growing a third arm?” He was right- I couldn’t keep the outfit on. While I was immune, Mac was not, and the longer I stuck around in those clothes I’d end up making him sick. Properly ashamed, I stuck my tongue out at him and immediately began stripping out of the radioactive shirt and pants. But when I took off my shirt, Mac let out a shriek and covered his eyes. “What do you think you’re doing, Princess!” 

“Changing clothes, what’s it look like?” I gestured to the shirt and pants I had tossed across the room. “Like you said, there’s no saving them, plus I don’t want you to get sick, so…"

“I don’t want to see you in your skivvies, Princess! Are you trying to get me killed or something? Put some dang clothes on!” 

I turned to him, feeling like a horrible person for enjoying his discomfort but doing it anyway. “But you’re the one who told me to change,” I said wickedly. 

“Princess, I swear to god, I’m going to toss you in a burlap sack if you don’t hurry up and put something on!” Mac was furious- his face was bright red beneath his hands as he tossed my bag at my feet. “I hate you sometimes, you know that?” MacCready said, turning his back to me. 

Laughing, I rummaged through the bag until I found something to put on. “Oh come on, you love me and you know it. Besides,” I said cheekily. “If it was Piper, I bet we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now,” I teased. 

“Da-Dang straight we wouldn’t, because one, I’d want to see it and two, she’d be _dead from charging a radioactive ghoul_!” He turned to look at me and then yelped again when he realized I hadn’t get gotten a shirt on and turned back around quickly. “Geez, Princess, take your time, why don’t you?” He paused for a minute, clearly debating which track he wanted to take the conversation on, but finally curiosity won out. “So…” he said carefully, "is that where you get your nickname from?”

“Huh?” I looked down, and realized he was talking about my tattoo. “Oh that,” I said, pulling on my shirt. “Yep. Hancock saw it once when he first met me and never let me forget it.” I shrugged. “Guess I just forgot the rest of you wouldn’t have a clue what he was talking about. By the way, you can look now.”

“I don’t trust you,” he said, crossing his arms. “I’m liable to turn around and you’re going to be bare-butt naked, just to screw with me.”

“Tempting, but no,” I said, closing my pack. “It’s too cold in here.” I walked over and patted the kid on the shoulder. “Seriously, I’m all set. No more naked Princess,” I said jokingly. 

MacCready turned around, and let out a breath when he realized I was fully dressed. “Thank goodness,” he said. “Now come on, let’s find that medicine.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” I said, opening the lab door. “And don’t worry,” I said with an evil grin, "I’ll be sure to let Hancock know you only peeked a little.”

_ _

* * *

Nick was sprinting ahead with such vigor that for a moment Hancock wondered if his friend was okay. Nick was never the type to rush into danger- that was usually reserved for Grace. But now, the detective was practically throwing himself headfirst into the fray without regard for his safety- raiders were firing at them left and right, but Nick was barely paying attention. Hancock had ended up shooting countless raiders that had gotten past the detective in his blind fury, and Nick had almost stepped on more than one of the mines that were scattered throughout the tunnel. The ghoul wanted nothing more than to take a hit of Jet to calm his nerves, but he knew that if he did, it would likely be the end of both of them. So instead of being happy and high, he was running through Andrew Station with his nerves ready to pull apart at any moment. 

“_Nick_!” Hancock screamed as another raider popped up behind the detective- the ghoul took it down with a knife to the gut and finished the threat with his pistol. “Would you _please_ watch what the fuck you’re doing!” 

“I’m close, John,” he muttered. “Almost there...”

“No.” Hancock said simply, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a nearby tunnel, taking a moment to breathe. “You are not moving another step until you stop acting like a fucking lunatic.”

Nick glanced at the hand on his arm and then out to the corridor. “I’m fine, John. I just need to get there-“

“Well you ain’t gonna be able to _do_ that if you get your damn head blown off by a raider cause you’re running into every goddamn tunnel without looking!” Hancock understood revenge, probably better than most, but he also knew the importance of being smart, and what Nick was doing was in no way smart. “Nick, I want you to get this bastard, I do. But right now, the only thing you’re gonna get is both of us killed- take a moment and _think_, damn it!"

“You’re right, John…” Nick sighed, taking a moment to actually look at his friend. Hancock thought it was probably the first time Nick had actually seen him since he’d told him about the tapes. “It’s just I’ve been dreaming of this for over 200 years and I’m so goddamn close-"

“And we’ll get there. Just… work with me, ok? Do this the way you’d make Grace do it- take it slow and smart, man.” Hancock glanced over at Nick, who appeared to be calmer now. “You good?” 

Nick thought about it for a second, then nodded. “Yeah. We aren’t far from where they say the bunker is. Shouldn’t be long now.”

“You know if we’re close, then that means that it’s about to get a whole lot wilder up ahead. I can’t having you losing your shit, Nick,” Hancock warned, staring hard at the detective. “You sure you good?”

“I’m ready.” The detective cleared his throat and looked over at Hancock. “Thanks, John… for everything.” 

Hancock didn’t have the right words to say at that point, so he did what he always did in situations like this- he just popped a mentat and worked on solving the problem. And in this case, the problem was a pack of raiders guarding a big door that he needed to get into, so he focused on ways to solve it. At least Nick’s problem could be solved with a gun- he knew he’d more than that to solve his other issues, but he’d take the wins where he could get them. 

Thankfully, Nick was more focused after their chat- he had started to pay attention and was once again an asset instead of a liability. When they had cleared the last of the raiders from the tunnel, he stared intently at the keypad on the door in front of them. “I can’t believe it… that bastard is on the other side of this door.”

“Do the honors,” Hancock said. “Let’s get the sonofabitch.” Nick punched in the code and the door opened into what looked like a house- this asshole had outfitted himself an entire vault. This was… not what Hancock was expecting. Then again, nothing was what he expected anymore. 

As they rounded a corner, they found an old ghoul with a shock of white hair in a polo shirt and khakis strolling towards them. “Who the fuck are you,” he growled at them.

Hancock turned his face up into an evil grin. “Well, if it isn’t my old pal Winter! You don’t remember me? I’m disappointed. Its me- Mayor GoFuckYourself, you evil sonofoabitch.”

Winter snarled. “Of course the first one that strolls in here after all this time would be a wiseass. And a ghoul,” he remarked. “Guess it ain’t much else left out there though, huh?” After the initial shock of seeing him wore off, Winter stared at Hancock intently. “Wait… how the fuck did you get in here in the first place?” Suddenly, he started laughing. “Let me guess, after 200 years, someone finally cracked the code… on the holotapes? Ain’t that something!”

“Yeah, well we did,” Hancock said. “And _fuck you very much_, Winter.”

“What’s all this for? Why the hell are you here? Ain’t nothing here for you…” Winter said. “There’s no gold, no jewels, no money… just me. And just cause we’re skin kin doesn’t mean I want to make a home down here with you, so you can go fuck off,” he said pointedly. 

At that point, Nick came up from behind Hancock and stepped into the light. “I’m not leaving without what I came here for,” he said menacingly. 

Winter, to his credit, didn’t scare easily. “And who’s the metal man?” He said, squinting at Nick. “What, they got robot overlords up there too? I knew it!” he crowed. 

“The name is Nick… Nick Valentine.” Nick was so upset that he was shaking slightly. "You killed my fiancé, Jennifer Lands, and I’m here to make sure you finally pay for what you’ve done, Winter.”

“Nick Valentine? The cop?” Winter shook his head. "Uh uh, you ain’t Nick. Shame about what happened to his fiancé, though… maybe if you, I mean he hadn’t been sticking his nose where it didn’t belong, nothing would have happened to her. She was a pretty-“

At that point, Hancock couldn’t take anymore and punched Winter in the face. “Shut the fuck up, asshole. Nick,” he said, turning towards the detective, "don’t listen to him.”

Winter had a hand held up to his face, cradling the cheek that Hancock had punched. “What the fuck are you talking about? That ain’t Nick! Sorry metal man, but you ain’t him- don’t know why a robot's got a hard-on for a 200 year old case, but the real Nick should’ve just left it alone. Maybe if he had, then his pretty little dame wouldn’t have ended up with a bullet in her back.” 

“Fuck this,” Hancock said, fed up with the whole conversation. “Nick, do what you came here to do.”

“Gladly,” Nick said, readying his pistol. “This is for Jenny, you sonofabitch,” he said as he shot him in the neck. As Winter fell backwards, Nick approached him and emptied the rest of the bullets into his face- even when Winter lay motionless and Hancock could hear the click of the empty chamber, Nick just kept on pulling the trigger, his face twisted with fury as he stared at the splattered remains.

Gingerly, Hancock went around to place a hand on the detective’s arm. “It’s ok, Nick… it’s done.” Gently, he placed a hand over the gun and pushed it down. “You can stop now… he’s dead.”

Nick slowly turned to Hancock, eyes glazed and his face unmoving. “I… I… I need some air.” The detective pushed past him and started walking out the vault, leaving Hancock staring after him. Quickly, he grabbed the pistol from the corpse and ran after Nick, who had found a door he hadn’t noticed before and started to leave the station. Hoping he wouldn’t lose sight of the detective, Hancock ran towards the exit, finding the synth standing outside and staring off into the distance. Nick turned when he noticed him there, and lowered his head. “There’s one more thing I need to do,” he said, swallowing. “I… wouldn’t mind the company, if you wanted to tag along, John.” 

Hancock nodded. “Lead the way, Nick- I’m in this till the end.”

_ _

* * *

We were leaving the facility when MacCready stopped me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, Princess,” he said. “You got a minute?”

“Of course,” I said. “What’s on your mind?”

He took off his hat and nervously wrung it between his fingers. “Look, I’ve always been better at taking than giving, but maybe one day I’ll learn to get my priorities straight.” He stared up at me, tears in his eyes. “I can’t believe we actually did it- thanks to you, Duncan’s actually got a fighting chance to live, and I owe you big time, Princess.”

I leaned over and gave him a hug- the merc blushed. “That’s what family does, Mac. You don’t owe me shit except making sure my honorary nephew gets those meds.” I paused for a second, thinking. “Speaking of that, how are we supposed to get those meds to him?”

Still red from the hug, Mac smiled. “That I got covered- we just gotta get over to Goodneighbor.”

I was confused. “Why do we have to go back there? Don’t you want to give it to him yourself?” 

“More than anything in the world,” he said, looking pained. "But you and I both know it’s a long slog from here to the Capital Wasteland. Daisy’s got caravan connections and she’s the only one I trust to get these meds to Duncan on time."

“Then that decides it,” I said, slinging my pack over my shoulder. “We’re heading back to Goodneighbor."

_ _

* * *

Nick led Hancock over to a spot near the station and leaned over, touching the ground softly. “Jenny,” he whispered, hanging his head. “This is it, John.” Since Hancock couldn’t think of the right thing to say, he went with nothing- he just walked over and stood by his friend as Nick traced his fingers over the stone. “In this spot, two hundred years ago, one of Eddie's boys put a bullet in Jenny Land’s back.” He stood up and looked out over the rubble. “Now Eddie’s as dead as Jenny… and Nick. And I… I’m at a loss, John."

“Why?” Hancock asked, putting his hand in his pocket and feeling the reassurance of the weight of the phone. 

Nick turned to look at him. "Winter was it, John- he was the only reminder left of the original Nick Valentine. The last proof outside of some long lost institute archive I was ever just a mechanical copy of some cop from a bygone era. I just thought this would fix things… but now I'm not so sure how to feel.”

“You should feel _free_, Nick- your future is yours now.” Hancock said after a moment, rubbing the phone between his fingers. “Trust me, I know the feeling. When I went from McDonough to Hancock, it was... a relief. I didn’t have that man's problems anymore. I was just… I was free,” he said finally. 

The detective shrugged his shoulders. “But I was Nick Valentine. I had his memories, his fears, all that poor bastard’s hope.” He shook his head, kicking a rock nearby. “I remember getting the call to head to some lab in Cambridge, and the next thing I know, I’m a trash heap. My family, my home, my entire life… gone. Then I discover, all of those things… they weren’t even mine in the first place.” He turned to Hancock, eyes downcast. “How do you _cope_ with something like that?”

Hancock looked out over the landscape, hands still in his pocket. “All you can do is just keep living, Nick. That’s all any of us can do." 

“How? Everything I ever was belonged to Nick.” The detective sighed. "I’d hoped with Winter gone, the last hint of that old world would be snuffed out and I could finally be free.” Nick let out a small laugh, and shook his head. "But after traveling out here with you and Grace, what I finally realized after all this time was that taking down Winter wasn’t about Nick, or Jenny, or even about us… It was about justice, about doing what’s right.” 

"You taught me that, John, and I can’t tell you what that means to me right now.” He turned and looked at his friend. "And even if this thing we did here today is the only thing in this world I can ever claim as mine, not Nick’s, not the Institutes, but _mine_,” he spat, "then I can die happy, cause none of this right here would have ever happened if it weren’t for you, John… and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to thank you for that.”

“Oh, I’m sure we can work something out, old man,” Hancock said. “Besides, I got to avoid Preston a little longer, so I’m happy,” he said with a wink.

“That you did, John…” Nick said. The old detective walked over to Hancock and pulled him in for a side-arm hug, which the ghoul accepted, laughing. The two men just stared out into the distance as their laughter died out on the wind, taking a moment to process and gather their thoughts. 

After a minute, Nick cleared his throat and turned to Hancock. "Sorry to break up this reprieve, but we should probably get on our way before they beat us there. You know if she doesn’t see you at the gate, she’s gonna pitch a fit.” Hancock simply nodded- he didn’t trust his voice just yet.

But as they headed off towards Sanctuary, Hancock realized that for the first time since Grace had left, he finally didn’t feel quite so alone. 

_ _

* * *

MacCready and I were trudging back toward Goodneighbor when I noticed a familiar flash of red on the horizon. I knew I missed him, but seeing him out here? It was just a speck, but to me, it was as bright as the sun- I’d know that coat anywhere. Stunned, I turned to the kid. “_Please_ tell me I didn’t lose my immunity to the rads, cause I think I’m seeing things, Mac.”

He looked confused. “What, you think you’re going bonkers? Bad news- I think that happened a while ago, Princess,” he said, smirking. “I hardly think a few rads-“

“No, _seriously_! Get out your scope and _look_,” I hissed, tugging on his coat. “I think I see John up there!” 

“Oh lord, you take the girl away from her boy toy for little while and suddenly everyone’s a ghoul.” The merc rolled his eyes and adjusted his gun. “John and Nick should be halfway to Sanctuary by now, Princess,” he said, moving his rifle to his shoulder and peering through the scope. “There’s no way it’s-“ he squinted. “Holy smokes-it _is_ them!”

“Told ya,” I said, smirking. “What do we do?” I was starting to panic- if we let them get too far away, they wouldn’t see us, and while I wasn’t expecting to see him out here, I was too close to let him slip away now. My first thought was to run over to him, but in this day and age charging towards people who aren’t expecting it was a really good way to get shot- come to think of it, it was a pretty shitty idea back in my time, too. In the end, I decided to say fuck it- I was going to get their attention one way or another. 

“Mac,” I said, eyes trained on Hancock’s coat. “if I attract the wrong thing, just start shooting, ok?” 

“See, when you say things like that, I really don’t trust you, Princess,” Mac said warily. “What're you about to do?”

“_JOHN_!” I screamed, waving my arms and jumping up and down like a madwoman. “_JOHN HANCOCK, IT’S ME, SUNSHINE- OVER HERE! JOHN!_ ”

MacCready hung his head. "Ok, we’re going with the ‘get everyone in the nearby vicinity robbed or shot approach. Great choice,” he said dryly. 

_ _

* * *

Hancock and Nick were walking along the highway, chatting as they made their way towards Sanctuary. It had been relatively smooth on the road so far, so he felt ok about taking a hit of Jet and letting the world fade for awhile. He absentmindedly patted his pocket, feeling reassured by the weight of the phone. Granted, they were a little late, but it wouldn’t make too much difference. Between him and Nick, they didn’t need that much sleep and they could both see fairly well in the dark- they could make up the time.

Hancock’s little touches were not lost on the detective- he’d seen him fingering his right pocket the entire trip. Since the younger man hadn’t mentioned the contents, Nick now found himself curious about what was so important in there. He’d initially thought it was chems, but he’d watched Hancock pull the inhaler from his inside pocket. Granted, he could’ve had stashes all over- with Hancock one never knew, but he doubted it. If the pocket had contained chems, the ghoul would have grabbed one from there instead of going inside of his coat. 

“Whatcha got in there, John,” he asked casually. “You’re favoring that pocket like you got somethin’ real special in there.” 

The detective noticed the shock on Hancock’s face, but the ghoul tried to play it off. “Nah… just holdin’ onto somethin’ for Sunshine, is all.” The detective worked to keep his face neutral, though he knew his friend wasn’t telling him the whole truth. “Out with it, John- you got a ring in there or something?” 

Hancock didn’t have to fake the surprise at that question. “A ring? Why would I have a-“ Understanding dawned on the ghoul’s face. “Shit… that’s what I was supposed to get. I knew I was fucking this proposal shit up,” he muttered. “But, she said she didn’t want one- do I still have to-“

“Yes,” Nick said plainly. "She’s gonna tell you she doesn’t want one, but trust me, she ain’t gonna turn it down when you slide it on that finger.” He laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “So, if it’s not an engagement ring or drugs, what gives?”

Hancock shook his head. “I want to tell you, Nick- I really do. But this ain’t my secret to tell, it’s Sunshine's- all I can do is just keep it safe for now.”

Nick’s face softened. “So it’s something of hers, that it?”

“Yeah,” Hancock said. “Makes me feel like she ain’t so far away, you know? She asked me to keep it safe for her and get it back to her when we get to Sanctuary.” He sighed, turning to the detective. “I just want to hear her voice, Nick.”

“I get it,” the detective said. “It’s only been a few days, John. Don’t worry- we’ll all meet up again soon.”

They started to walk again, but as if by magic, Hancock could have sworn he heard someone calling his name. He turned and looked at Nick, astounded. “Did you hear that?” Nick nodded, and the two stopped, looking around for the source. As they stood there, he heard it again- it was a female voice, one Hancock knew backwards and forwards. “Nick- you hear that right? That’s Sunshine!” Hancock was so happy he could almost cry- it was definitely her.

“I hear it... can’t say I believe it, but I definitely hear it,” Nick said. “I wonder where it’s-“

The detective was cut off by a thundering yell. “_SUNSHINE_!” Hancock bellowed, whirling around in a circle and looking for her- Nick winced at the noise. “_SUNSHINE, WHERE ARE YOU?_”

After that the voice was closer- Nick could hear footsteps racing up from behind them. “_JOHN_!” it screamed. “_JOHN, IT’S ME, SUNSHINE!_” The detective turned around, and saw a mop of wild brown and blonde hair rushing up the hill towards them. She stumbled and slid on the rocks, but that didn’t stop her- she just picked herself up and kept scrambling up the hill, desperate to get to the man at the top. Nick smiled at the sight of the determined woman and tapped Hancock on his shoulder, pointing to Gracie climbing towards them. 

Hancock just stared with wide eyes as Grace flew up the side of the hill, launching herself into his arms like a tiny missile. As soon as she connected with him, he pulled her close and spun her around in a circle, tears of joy streaming down his face as he clutched her tight to his chest. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her, but he realized that he didn’t have the words. Then he thought about telling her how much he loved her, but he couldn’t find something to say that didn’t trivialize how he felt. Finally, Hancock decided that trying to come up with words was just fucking stupid and he kissed her.

_ _

* * *

As they embraced like there was no one left in the world but the two of them, Nick just watched with a smile. 

_And now you know what coming home feels like_, the detective thought.


	25. Building towards something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sturges builds the relay; With some assistance, Hancock does things properly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus birthday post!
> 
> Seriously, the great **WomanonFyre** was in my head! She just posted Ch.28 of her amazing tale _Breathing in the Chemicals_ (If you aren’t reading it- GO DO IT!) and I cracked the heck up when I read it! 
> 
> So, as a gift to you and her, I’m posting this early!

_ _

* * *

We stood there on the side of the road and I couldn’t believe it- he was here, holding me against him as if he was scared I’d vanish at any moment. “I thought I asked you guys to leave days ago,” I admonished, smiling into his coat. “I have to admit, I’m glad you didn’t listen.” 

“Executive decision,” Hancock said, whispering in my ear and holding me close. “Best one I think I’ve made in a while, too,” he said, stroking my hair and kissing me. “I thought I was goin’ crazy- I’ve missed you so much, Sunshine.”

“Me too, John. And for the record, it was a shitty idea to split up. I’d like to punch whoever came up with that stupid ass plan,” I said, craning my neck to kiss the side of his face. 

He kissed me back and smiled. “Meh, I think we can let them slide, this once. The reunion is pretty nice,” he said, laughing. 

Suddenly, we heard a throat clear behind us, and we jumped, turning to see MacCready staring at me with an exasperated look. “Look, I totally get you want to jump the mayor’s bones, but if it’s all the same to you, I’d really like to get this to Daisy, you know?” He waved the medicine canister at me."Plus, last I checked, the two of us don’t have enough ammo to take out a mole rat and you’re still in a pair of pajamas, Princess.”

I looked down sheepishly, slowly untangling myself from Hancock. “Fair point- let’s head to Goodneighbor so we can get back on the road.” I looked at Nick and Hancock. “Well, since it looks like you guys were late, feel like heading back with us, or are you gonna make your way ahead? I’d hate to make you backtrack, but we definitely won’t mind the company.”

Nick just chortled. “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response, Gracie.” He stepped over and hugged me. "C’mon, let’s get that package to Daisy so we can get this show on the road. Sounds like you two had an adventure, huh?”

“I’d say so,” Hancock said. I could see him itching to ask what the hell happened, but he knew we didn’t have the time for the long conversation. He just sighed, eyeing my pajamas and rolling his eyes. “Didn’t we already have this talk about you packing proper, Sunshine?” 

I shrugged. “Nothing else was clean- I improvised."

—

Getting to Goodneighbor with Hancock leading the way was quick- he really did know the fastest routes to get to and from his town. In almost no time at all, we were back at the front gates, and Mac and I were sprinting towards Daisy’s shop. Once we were there, it was a clusterfuck of generosity- while I was trying to refuse the clothes, Mac was busy refusing money for my ammo after giving Daisy the meds. In the end, the kid took advantage of Hancock paying for my clothes to sneak out before I could force my caps in his hands, and I cursed under my breath. 

Daisy chuckled and Dogmeat trotted out, woofing happily and getting pets from everyone. "Must be nice to have two guys who care about you, Grace.” She eyed John, who was rummaging for clothes. “Save your breath, honey. Trying to get him to listen when he’s got a bee in his bonnet goes about as well as pissing in the wind.” 

I laughed in spite of myself. “True. But I still don’t want his charity, Daisy.”

She raised her eyebrow at me. “From what I hear, it ain’t charity if you’re fixin’ to be married.” She smiled at me and leaned on the counter. “Got something to share with an old ghoul?”

“Not yet,” I said as Hancock flagged me down. “But you’re definitely on the list to find out as soon as I do.”

“Glad I made the cut,” she said, laughing. “By the way, Doc Amari told me to have you and John stop by whenever you got back. You should head on over there.”

“Geez, is there ever going to be a time when I don’t get stuck with needles when I come into this town?” I groaned. _She probably wants to run more tests to see why my innards aren’t cooked ham by now. _

“Can’t say I know,” Daisy said with a grin. “You plan to stop being as reckless as those two boys anytime soon?”

I shook my head and grinned. “Nope, can’t say that’s likely.”

Daisy laughed as I scratched Dogmeat behind the ears. “Then I guess you better get your skinny ass over to the Memory Den and see what she wants- it ain’t often the doc actually wants to see a patient, you know.”

“Oh Daisy,” I said, fluttering my eyes at the old woman. “You called me skinny- that’s one of the nicest things someone has said to me out here. Did I tell you you’re one of my favorite people in the Commonwealth today?”

“Nope,” she said. “But you can do it a few more times to make up for it.”

—

After Hancock and I snuck off to visit Amari, who did indeed want to run a few more tests on me, we headed out towards Sanctuary. I was unseasonably grumpy and tired after our visit- the doctor had stuck Hancock and I with about ten different needles each, which did nothing to improve my mood, so we stopped to make camp at a park we found along the road. The area was still- outside of the commotion we had taken care of a few miles back, there was nothing but quiet as we settled in for the night. While Hancock and Nick went to get firewood, I found an old picnic bench and laid down on top of it to stare at the sky- it had been a minute since I’d relaxed, and I decided to take advantage of the moment. 

Soon, I was lost in my stargazing, only shaking out of my daze when I heard the sound of footsteps. Confused and startled by the noise, I turned my head to find MacCready climbing up next to me, craning his neck to look at the sky. “Never understood why you do this, Princess,” he said, laying down next to me and folding his hands behind his head. “It’s just sky- not like anything from there is gonna come down and save us or something.”

“It’s-“ I sighed, realizing that what I had to tell him would probably make one of my best friends run for the hills. “It’s complicated, kid.”

“Try me... I know all about complicated.” He turned his head and looked at me. “I’m a pretty good listener, especially when it’s family doing the talking,” he said, elbowing me softly.

“With the story I got, we might be estranged, Mac,” I said dejectedly. “Plus, you may as well wait for Nick. That way you can both leave together... safety in numbers and all.”

He didn’t respond for a second- he just kept his face turned up towards the sky. Then, he turned his head to me. “I noticed the mayor ain’t included in that exit caravan, Princess.”

I shook my head. “John knows.”

“And yet I don’t see him running for the hills...” He turned his head back to the sky. “Seems to me like you got a low opinion of us over here... Last I heard, family doesn’t cut bait when it gets rough.” I shifted on my side to look at him, but he didn’t turn back- he just cut his eyes over to me and smiled. 

As he looked at me, his face soft and young in the moonlight, I thought of all the times Sam and I would sneak out to sit on the roof. “No, they don’t,” I said sadly. “I just miss home and It’s just hard sometimes, you know?” I sighed and returned to my back, gazing back up at the stars. “But when I look at the stars, it’s a little easier- my heart doesn’t miss everyone as much.”

“Why’s that?” MacCready asked softly.

“Because they didn’t change- they’re still the same.” I closed my eyes, trying to stop the tears from pooling behind my eyes. When they threatened to spill over anyway, I sat up and put my head in my hands. 

He must’ve heard or seen me sit up because I felt the table shift as he moved to sit by my side. “Whoa,” he said, putting his arm me and squeezing me. “All this time I’ve traveled with you and I’ve never seen you tear up, Princess. So, out with it- what's eating you?”

I patted his arm and wiped my eyes, sniffling. “You’re brave tonight… usually, when everyone else is around you act like touching me is gonna give you the plague.”

“That was also before you risked your fool neck to save my boy. Plus,” he said, smiling, "it looked like my older, more decrepit and less charming sister-“ I leaned into him, making him shift to the side, and he laughed, doing the same to me- “needed a hug. So if the mayor wants to bite me for it, that’s a lump I’m just gonna have to take.”

“Glad you recognize,” a voice said from behind us. “Kinda takes the fun out of it when you know it’s coming though.”

I turned to see Hancock and Nick, standing on the other side of the table. “Hey,” I said softly, wiping the last of the tears from my eyes. “Glad you’re back.”

“Overjoyed, apparently,” said Nick as he went over to start the fire. “Care to explain what’s got you all weepy-eyed over there, Gracie?”

“I hope so… I’m just as in the dark as you are, and I’ve been here the entire time.” MacCready gave my shoulder a last squeeze, then hopped off the table, clapping Hancock on the shoulder as he moved towards the fire. "She was fine a minute ago when she was looking at the stars, then-“ he waggled his fingers down his face- “the waterworks just started coming.” He glanced over at Hancock. “She said she wasn’t gonna talk till Nick got back, but says you know why, Mayor.”

Hancock nodded and took MacCready’s place, wrapping an arm around me. “I have a pretty good guess.” He kissed my head and I leaned into his arm. “You all right, Sunshine?"

Nick turned to Hancock, his expression neutral. “Does this have anything to do with whatever it is you’ve been holdin’ onto this whole time?” 

Hancock looked at me as I curled into the crook of his arm. “This ain’t my story, Sunshine- if you wanna share, that’s up to you.”

“I’m scared,” I said softly. “I don’t want them to leave.”

“You’re deciding for folks again,” he said softly, rubbing his hand up and down my back in small circles. “It’s your story, but it’s their choice how they respond. At least give ‘em that- they’ve earned it. You gave me the choice, remember?” He kissed me on the head and smiled. “And I’m still here.”

“Now I’m really curious,” the kid said. “What’s so big that it’s got you this freaked out, Princess?"

“I’m not from Boston,” I said quietly. 

“Yeah… I know,” said Mac slowly. “Neither am I. So…” Nick put a hand on his shoulder and the kid paused. “That can’t be it,” he said simply. "What else is wrong?”

I looked at Hancock, who nodded in encouragement. “Well,” I said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, “first of all, let me clarify two things- one, I’m not special, and two, I’ve never lied to anyone.”

Nick stared at me for a moment. “That’s an awful lot of disclaimers, Gracie.”

“Yeah well, I kinda need em,” I said. “God, this was so much easier with you, John,” I said with exasperation. “Why is this so hard right now?”

Hancock smiled. “Well for starters, you’re building it up, and in my case, your sister gave me a crash course,” he said. “Wasn’t much left for you to do except fill in the blanks.”

“Time out,” said MacCready. “Hancock, did you just say you talked to her sister?” He looked at me. “If you got family out here, why aren’t they out here with us right now?”

I sighed. “That’s just it, Mac. I’m not from here- I’m from another-“ I searched from the right word, but couldn’t find it. “Dimension? Timeline? I don’t know what I’d call it.” I shrugged. “I came to this version of Boston about four years before the bombs fell to go to law school. Been here ever since.” I looked ahead at the fire, avoiding their eyes. “I kinda figured my family was ok, but until my sister saved John and sent me a message, I didn’t know for sure. So yeah, that’s about it,” I said.

The silence that followed was deafening- you could’ve heard a pin drop in our camp. The only sounds I could hear was the crackle of the fire and the sound of my foot tracing patterns in the ground as I waited for the two men to get up and leave. 

It was Nick who spoke first. “Gracie, I hate to ask this, but are you sure-“

Hancock cut him off. “She ain’t crazy, Nick. Like she said, I’ve seen it.” He sighed, pulling out a canister of Jet and taking an inhale. “You know when we fought Kellogg and I got shot?” Nick nodded, and Hancock continued. “Well, as much as it pains me to admit it, that bastard killed me- I was gone."

Nick’s mouth twisted in a frown. “But John, you didn’t... I saw the container and I checked on you myself. You were banged up pretty good, yeah, but you were definitely alive.”

Hancock let out a deep breath, vapors swirling over my head. “The way I heard it from Mama Murphy, her sister took me to what they call the Between. According to her sister, Sam, if I died, Sunshine was gonna die too, so she changed things a little.” He looked over at me and I looked down- if he was gonna tell it for me, I had no intention of stopping him. When he saw that I wasn’t in a rush to continue, he kept talking. “After that happened, I got back and found out the girl had made it so I’d never been shot at all, which is what you guys remember,” he said. “But I can see it, Nick- I can see the hole in my chest, the blood on my coat… I can see it all.”

“You know this is crazy, right?” MacCready’s face was twisted in a scowl. “Sorry if I don’t jump on your word, Mayor, but you’re usually higher than a kite all the time- who’s to say you didn’t get ahold of a really good batch of chems?” He pointed at me, hands shaking. “You’re my best friend, Grace! And I don’t need this psychobabble bull cr-crud you two are spewing right now- _you owe me the truth!_” He looked like he was on the verge of tears. “I didn’t… I won’t… not for this,” he muttered, face growing redder by the minute.

“Give it to me," I said softly. 

Hancock looked at me. “You sure?” His eyes searched my face and I nodded- if they didn’t believe me after this, then there was nothing else I could do. Wordlessly, he reached into his coat pocket and handed me back my phone. Hancock waved the two of them over- Nick came first, gently guiding MacCready over to the table. When they were all close enough, I turned on the phone, listening to Nick and MacCready make soft, strangled noises as my fingers moved across the screen. 

I brought up a video of Sam and me on the beach, pressing play and watched as the two of us ran along the shore. “This is me and my sister from right before I came to Boston- see how things look different?” I shook my head. “The way people dressed was one of the things that really freaked me out when I first got here- I thought I was going to have to dress like a 50’s housewife for the rest of my life… yay apocalypse, saving me from garish fashion choices,” I joked- no one smiled. 

I then went through my photos, stopping at a picture of me posing with my motorcycle. “God, I loved that bike,” I said. “Dad and I used to go riding together a lot- he took this picture of me when we rode up to New York for a weekend. I was so mad when mom said I couldn’t take it with me. She said things were different here and the bike wouldn’t fit in. This was the only thing I could take with me.” I sighed, holding the little phone in my hand. “It's the only piece of home I have left.” 

“You looked kinda bada-wicked," MacCready said finally. “All this Mumbai-jumbo might explain why you’re such a pain in the butt now.” He gave me a tentative smile. “Look, I don’t know if I believe you-“

Hancock interrupted him. “You should,” he said flatly. “It’s the truth- just… be thankful you haven’t had to see it firsthand.”

MacCready looked at him for a minute, then continued. “But if that’s the case, why are you still here? This place sucks, Princess- go home.” My face fell as he continued talking. “If your family is still around, why don’t you head back to them- no sense in staying in the dang apocalypse with us.”

I shook my head. “I chose to come here, Mac. I knew it was for the long haul when I came. For better or worse, this is where I am,” I said, clutching Hancock’s hand. “And hopefully, I’ll still have you guys as my friends.”

Nick placed a hand on my shoulder. “Always, Gracie.” He smiled. “Heck, I’m a metal man with the memories of a dead cop- I’m hardly in a position to judge.”

I laughed, then hopefully looked at MacCready- the kid sighed, taking his hat off and running his fingers through his hair. “Like I said, I don’t know if I believe you… but from where I’m standing, it doesn’t look like your past makes too much difference right now, does it?” He raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you ain’t gonna disappear in a puff of smoke, are you?”

“No one in my family has appeared or disappeared in a puff of smoke- we tend to use the door.” Then I put my finger to my lips in thought. “There’s usually only smoke when I start cooking,” I said with a smile- this time, he returned it, pulling me into a hug. “Still my annoying little brother?” I asked softly.

As long as you’re still my brain-addled older sister, then yes,” he said. Then he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Just don’t leave me, Princess... family sticks around, right?” 

“Even when they don’t believe each other,” I agreed. “Looks like you’re stuck with me, kid."

_ _

* * *

The four of them continued towards Sanctuary, and it was as if Grace was lighter now. Hancock had wanted to be jealous that the others were in on their secret, but after sharing it was as if the three of them were her true confidants… her _family_. The trip continued as usual, the only difference was instead of listening to that mopey Travis from Diamond City, Grace would play the radio from her phone, letting them all listen to the music she had accumulated over the years. 

He took note of the songs she seemed to like- when those came up, she would sing along with them, shaking her hips a little as she walked. Once, he saw her belting out a song using a nearby tree branch as a microphone and he couldn’t help but laugh, realizing he loved her more and more each day he was with her.

One night, after Grace had fallen asleep, he heard MacCready come and sit next to him. “Hey, kid,” Hancock said, stoking the fire. “Thought you were asleep."

“Tried…didn’t happen.” He looked at Hancock, eyes serious. “Mayor, can I talk to you for a minute?” 

“Sure- what’s on your mind?” Hancock asked. This wasn’t like the merc- usually, he just said whatever it was he was thinking about, so for him to ask put Hancock slightly on edge. 

MacCready frowned. “Do you really believe her? I mean, I know she believes it, but…” The kid shrugged, tossing a stick in the flames. “I want to, but… I mean I still love her and all- she’s the only family I got out here, but I’d really like it if she wasn’t cracking up, you know?” 

Hancock realized what the kid said, tossing it over in his mind. The kid had said it so casually, almost like he was mentioning that the wind was blowing or that he’d picked up some food for dinner. It was so casual and honest that Hancock couldn’t be mad if he wanted to- it was just the way things were. And he supposed if he’d been in the kid’s position, he’d feel the same. Sometimes he thought Grace was a force of nature- it was only natural others would get swept in. 

Realizing the kid was probably looking for an answer, he pulled himself out of his thoughts. “Yeah, I do. She’s a bunch of things, Mac, but crazy ain’t one of them.” He thought about it for a minute. “Hey, remember when you guys asked about her leg?” 

“Yeah, we wondered how it had…” the kid trailed off. “Wait, you mean that’s part of it? That’s why she’s got that Gronak-style healing and immunity to the rads?” MacCready leaned over to Hancock and whispered, “Is she a superhero or something?”

“Other than those, her only superpower is the inhuman amounts of bitching she does when something doesn’t go her way, kid,” he said with a smile. “She’s still our Grace, Mac. Just got a different backstory, if you want to think about it like your comic books.” 

“But aren’t you scared?” MacCready looked at the mayor, his eyes unsure. “I’m _terrified_, Hancock- I keep thinking that she’s gonna find her boy and take off on us, and I have to keep telling myself she’s not leaving. But then I think if I had the chance to go somewhere else… would I take it?” He tossed another branch at the fire, eyes downcast. “And I’ll be honest, Mayor- I can’t come up with many reasons to stay. What if she runs out of reasons- what do we do then?”

“Then we give her more, kid,” he said softly. “We make sure she knows that she’s got a family right here and that she’s never gonna run out of reasons to stay."

The kid sighed. “ Ever since Lucy died, no one else has been there for me. I'm getting too used to having people around, and I can’t watch her go, Mayor... she’s the only family I got,” he said sadly.

Hancock shook his head. “Nope, you’re wrong, kid… you got Nick and you got me.” He smirked at the kid, thwacking his hat with his hand. "Between the three of us, I think you’re covered.”

MacCready stared at Hancock, shocked to see he was serious. “I’m good with that,” the kid said finally. “Three’s a decent number."

_ _

* * *

Going into Sanctuary somehow seemed different this time. When I was last here, it was to close out a chapter of my life- but this time as we walked towards the bridge to Sanctuary, I didn’t know how to feel. Nervously, I grabbed Hancock’s hand, swinging it back and forth as we walked up the bridge. Hancock chuckled. “You look nervous, Sunshine.”

“Yeah, I am,” I said. “I feel like there is so much riding on this right now.”

“True, but you got your family now.” Hancock started skipping and pulling me along with him- I burst out laughing as I skipped along. We started to pass MacCready and Nick, who stared at us like we had lost our minds. After I had tears running down my face from laughter, Hancock picked me up, swinging me around in a circle. Nick shook his head with a smile, and I squealed with laughter. “Feel better?” he asked as he put me down. “This is just like old times- all we need now is the boy scout threatening to shoot us.”

“I think you spoke too soon, John,” I said, laughing as I kissed him. “Guess who I see?”

“It looks like you just make the nicest friends, Princess,” MacCready said as he eyed Preston warily. “Do I have to worry about shooting anyone or are you gonna call off your dogs over here?”

I glanced over to Preston and shook my head. “Nah, he’s not gonna shoot,” I said. I cupped my hands to my mouth and yelled. “Hey, Preston- it’s us!” The minuteman brightened when he saw me, but his face darkened when he saw Hancock next to me. “Side note, guys- he’s not a fan of John… _with good reason_,” I said pointedly. 

“And you were going to send me alone?” Hancock said incredulously. “I thought you loved me, Sunshine!” 

“I do… that’s why I sent Nick with you,” I winked. “C’mon,” I said, walking towards Preston. “Let’s get into town and get this started.”

_ _

* * *

It was pretty clear that the minuteman didn’t like Hancock, but that was fine by him- Hancock wasn’t exactly his biggest fan, either. Sure, Hancock had tweaked him the last time they were there, but it was Preston’s fault. He clearly liked Grace- anyone with eyes could see it, and the boy scout was a little raw about the fact that she was with Hancock. He didn’t care all that much- Sunshine was his, and if Hancock could rub Preston's nose in it without getting in too much trouble, all the better for him. But, he wasn’t here to cause trouble- right now, they were looking to get this machine built for her, so he simply kissed her on the cheek and sent her off down the hill while he hung back with Nick and Mac. They gave Grace a few minutes, then they slowly walked into town amidst lots of stares from the townsfolk. Mac had stuck out his tongue at a lady who was scowling at Hancock and Nick, but Grace had run over to fetch them before things could get too heated. Once they had assured Grace that no one was was going to come to blows, Mac and Nick headed off to the bar to join Piper and Deacon, who had already arrived. 

“Guess it’s time for me to talk to Sturges," Grace said. “You coming with me?”

Hancock searched the town and his eyes settled on the only resident of the town he needed to see. As he stared, the old woman caught his gaze and smiled as she headed by the creek. He knew he had to go talk to her, so he turned to Grace and shook his head. “Nah, not just yet- I gotta see the old woman first.”

Grace laughed. “Well, I’m gonna go show Sturges these plans and see what he can come up with- meet me in the bar when you finish?” She wrapped her arms around his neck and he kissed her, cupping her ass and pulling her against him. He gently put his mouth on hers, exploring her with his tongue and proclaiming she was his for the whole town to see. Hancock could have stayed like that forever, but eventually, she groaned and finally pulled away, slapping him on the butt and laughing as she walked off towards the mechanic.

When she had gone, he turned in the direction the old woman had gone and found her sitting on a makeshift bench near the water. “John McDonough… Welcome back,” she said with a smile. “Looks like you found your place, son.”

“It’s Hancock now,” he said politely. “And yeah, I think so.” He took off his hat as he sat down next to the old woman. “And I needed to thank you- your vision saved our lives, Mama Murphy. We couldn’t have done it without you."

“Glad to help,” she said. “Knew you’d figure it out.” She patted his leg. “So, what are you trying to see, son?” She fixed him with a piercing stare. “I’ll warn you, a little knowledge is fine, but a lot is dangerous- you might find out things you don’t really want to know,” she advised him.

“I’m not seeking anything, Mama Murphy. Just came over to give you my regards for the help.” Hancock sighed. “I got everything I want right here,” he said resolutely. 

“You’re the second now,” she said. “You’re inseparable, even when separated by time and space. Don’t forget that,” she warned. “Might serve you well to remember that in the days ahead, son.” 

He looked at her with alarm. “What are you saying? Is something gonna happen to Grace?” 

She laughed. “Like I said, I can’t see choices- I only see decisions. And it’s looking like she’s come here to make some decisions, which are gonna lead to some choices neither one of you are gonna like,” she said sadly. “But, she’s gotta make ‘em anyway.” She patted his leg again, then took his hand and squeezed it. “You’re gonna have to be strong, John. There’s some _strong_ choices floatin’ around you, boy- looks like you better make one of them in the next few days.”

“That’s not helpful,” he said with a frown. “How am I supposed to know which of these choices I have to make? Do I need to give you some Jet or something to get you to make it clear for me or somethin’?”

Mama Murphy shook her head. “You already know the choice you have to make- you just have to ask and she’ll help you with it.”

“Ask who?” Hancock was confused. “Who am I asking? What am I asking about? This don’t make sense!”

The old woman just smiled. “Maybe you should take a walk by yourself to the rocket while she’s talking to the mechanic about the future- it’s the closest we can get to the stars around here.” She stared at him intently, as if she were silently willing him to get the point- he reached in his pocket and pulled out a mentat. "There’s someone there that might be able to help you if you ask, but I’d do it soon if you want to stop her from running.” 

“Is this the part where you start making sense? If not, can we skip ahead to it?” Hancock sighed. “Cause I’ll be honest- I’ve got no clue what you said just then.”

“Take a walk, John,” Mama Murphy said simply. “Go for a walk and get what you need to ask a proper question, cause she’s gonna need to remember the answer.” She squeezed his leg as she stood up, staring out towards the town. “You should probably go before she finishes- once she’s done, that path closes and I can’t help you anymore.”

“No idea what you’re talking about, but if it’s gonna close the _path_,” he said sarcastically, “Then I guess I’m taking a walk.”

—

Usually, he wouldn’t even entertain this foolishness, but life since Grace had taught him to embrace things outside the norm. He had to admit to himself that the old woman was right last time, so as night began to fall, Hancock found himself creeping towards the Red Rocket station. Grace would be worried if she came back and didn’t find him there, but since the old woman was the one who had sent him off, he hoped Mama Murphy wouldn’t let the girl worry about him too much. 

He saw light coming from a small fire burning in the fire pit when he walked up. Cautious, he approached- the old woman did mention that there was someone here he was supposed to talk to, but no sense in throwing common sense out the window. Out here, everyone was a threat until proven otherwise, even if psychic old ladies vouched for them. 

As he got closer, he noticed a woman was sitting next to the fire, warming her hands. Since her back was turned to him, he couldn’t see her face, but he could tell from the way she was hunched over that she was tall. Other than the fact that she had long curly black hair that was pulled back into a thick braid and dressed oddly, he couldn’t discern much else about her. 

“Hi,” she said, not bothering to turn around. Her voice wasn’t unpleasant- it was soft, deep and weary as if she had seen a lot in her lifetime but wasn’t in the habit of letting it get to her. Hancock was surprised that she had noticed him- usually, if he was sneaking up on you, you didn’t notice till he had a knife in your back. “Are you done creeping around back there, or are you going to have a seat?” 

He could hear the unspoken command in her voice, and he bristled a little, fingering his knife. “Sorry lady, but I don’t right know you. I’m not in the habit of chatting up strangers.”

She still hadn’t turned around, but he could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke again. “Could’ve fooled me with that one.” She paused for a minute, then spoke again. “You can also stop it with the knife- I’m not here to fight and besides,” she said with a chuckle, “it wouldn’t do you much good anyway, John.”

Hancock felt like he just fell out of step with the world right then, almost losing his footing. As he drew closer to the woman to sit, he felt an overwhelming sense of oddness. It was if she was throwing his whole being off-balance and suddenly, he couldn’t wait to get to a seat. When he found his way to a seat across from her, that sensation of things not being quite right washed over him like a wave. 

Now that Hancock had a clear view of the woman, he was no longer nervous- he had passed nervous a few miles back and now he was terrified. He couldn’t tell her age- though she appeared young, he knew the woman in front of him was much, much older than she looked. Her rich brown skin was smooth, reflecting the light of the fire. Her lips were painted red and turned up into a knowing smile, but this wasn’t what scared him. No, what shook him to the core were the _eyes_\- they were the same ones he saw every day in Grace, in Sam... 

This was their mom, and from what Grace and Sam had implied, she was _not_ to be fucked with. 

He wanted to speak, but he felt his mouth go dry- all words had escaped him. While Hancock didn’t want to sit there gaping at her like an idiot, he was also terrified to say the wrong thing. In addition to that, he was dying for a hit of Jet or a Mentat right now, but he remembered that Grace had talked about her dad and chems, and Hancock figured that doing something the woman’s ex-husband would do might not be the smartest thing right now, so he just sat there, uncharacteristically quiet. 

_Oh no..._ he thought. _Does she know I’m sleeping with Sunshine? Is she gonna kill me? Oh fuck, is she gonna take her away? I really need a hit right now.... shit!_

The corner of the woman’s mouth twitched. “Yeah, I know,” she said, chuckling. “No, I’m not going to kill you for it, and that last part is doubtful. But regarding the canister of Jet you have in your pocket, you do what you have to do, John. I’m not judging.” 

Hancock had never reached for something so fast in all his life. He inhaled the chem and closed his eyes, feeling it calm him down and settle him somewhat. Once he finished, he guiltily looked back at the woman- contrary to what he expected, she didn’t look angry. In fact, she was outright laughing at him at this point. Hancock was so confused that he just said the first thing that popped into his head. 

“Did you just read my mind back then?” _Stupid question- you know she did_, he thought. _And she’s probably listening inside your head right now. _

She smiled at him again. “Not on purpose, but you were broadcasting louder than a radio right then. I’ll try not to if it makes you feel a little more comfortable. How’s that?”

He nodded. “Um... I think I’d appreciate that, thanks.” He had no idea what he should say to her, but he figured that she was making more sense than Sam had, so he may as well ask the question. “So...” he thought about it for a moment and realized he didn’t know her name. “Grace’s mom, is it?”

“Nia,” she said, extending her hand. “Nice to meet you, John- I’ve heard so much about you.” When he looked confused, she laughed again. “What, you didn’t think I knew what was going on over here?” She stopped laughing and then smiled softly. “Just because I can’t interfere doesn’t mean I don’t keep an eye on things.” She stared at a point over Hancock’s shoulder, face wistful. “She’s still my baby, you know.” 

“Um...” he was trying to find a polite way to ask his question, but he couldn’t come up with anything that wouldn't sound insulting. As he mulled things over in his head, she stared at him intently, raising an eyebrow. 

When he still hadn’t said anything after a few moments, Nia let out a long sigh. “Ok, let’s do this the easy way, John. Yes, I know what’s going on, no, I couldn’t stop the bombs, no, I couldn’t stop what happened, and no, I cannot rescue Shaun for her.” She looked down at her hands. “It’s the price of having kids... as much as I want to protect her, certain things have to play out as they will- it’s awful, knowing what’s coming and having the ability to change some things and not others.” She looked at Hancock, a sad smile on her face. “I can alter choice, John- that’s it. I give nudges- I don’t make changes.” 

“Is that why you’re here? To nudge?” He was angry, though a voice deep inside was telling him it probably wasn’t a good idea to piss her off. “Grace needs you- why the hell are you sitting here talking to me?” 

“Trust me, John, she’s going to be talking to me sooner than she wants to.” Nia looked away, and Hancock caught a flicker of something in her eyes as she did. From where he was sitting, it looked like regret, but just as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. “And that brings me to why I’m here,” she said with an air of finality. “I can’t stay much longer, so we might as well get to it.” She stared at Hancock expectantly. “Ask your real question, John.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I got a million questions and you expect me to just narrow all this down-“ he snapped his fingers- “like that?” He frowned. “Sorry, it don’t work like that for us regular folks, ma’am.”

She winced at his statement. “I suppose you’re right. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re losing time and I can’t give you much more, though.”

“Is she right?” Hancock asked finally. “About this first and second business, I mean.” 

Nia’s eyes brightened. “Finally, you’re starting to ask the right questions, John.” This time when she smiled, he felt himself calm down a bit more. “And to answer you, yes- she’s right.” 

“When I asked you earlier if she’s gonna leave, you didn’t say yes or no- you said it’s doubtful. What’d you mean by that?”

“And there it goes... the right question,” she said. “I can’t answer that right now, cause the answer depends on the first question you asked, John.” 

“I’m so fucking confused,” he said finally. “You tell me to ask a question, then when I ask it, you say you can’t answer it. If that was the case, then what was the goddamn _point_ of all this?” 

Nia folded her hands in her lap. “I can’t answer it, because it’s part of a choice, John. What happens depends on what you do and when you do it.” She paused for a moment and she looked like she was debating what to tell him. “You asked if you were her second. What does that mean to you, John?”

Hancock swallowed. “Um...”

She interrupted him. “No,” she said, locking eyes with him. “I don’t want the canned answer, I want the real one. What does she mean to you?” She paused, then placed a hand on his leg. “How about you tell me, John?”

When she touched him, it was like the lock on his tongue opened. “She’s everything,” he said in a rush, surprised at the words tumbling out. “I’m terrified that something is gonna happen and she’s gonna leave and never come back, or that I’m gonna wake up and find out that this was just a dream. If she leaves me, I might as well find a deathclaw and jump in front of it, cause dying right then is gonna be better than living the rest of my miserable life without her. She’s the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing before I go to bed. I want to see her every day for the rest of my life, and I don’t know how to tell her that in a way that she deserves. And though we ain’t made it official yet, I know in my bones that she’s supposed to be my wife and ain’t a damn thing out here that’s gonna change that.” 

He finished and stared at Nia in shock. “What the fuck was that?” he asked breathlessly. “Did you do that to me?”

She held her index and thumb fingers a small distance apart from each other. “A little,” she confirmed. “Didn’t change what you were going to say, just helped you say it.” She shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t have a lot of time and you weren’t getting to the point.”

“I think I’m still missing the point,” he said, still confused about what had just happened. “What does all that have to do with anything?”

She stood up and reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box. “Just confirming,” she said. “This is for her, John. It wasn’t ever meant for me- I know that now.”

He opened the box and found a ring. The gold was a rosy pink, and there were small white and pink diamonds on the side, with a round pink diamond in the center. As Hancock turned it over in his hands, he felt something on the inside. It was too dark to see, so he moved closer to the fire and held the ring up to the light to read the inscription. The words _always and forever_ glinted across the inside, and Hancock felt his insides start to do backflips as he looked up at the woman. 

“This is... this was yours?” he asked. “And you’re giving it to me? Why?”

“Technically, I’m giving it to you to give to her,” she said with a smile. “But yes, it was mine. Grace’s dad gave that to me- I think it’s fitting that she get it from you.” She pointed to the box again, and Hancock lifted the velvet to find a shining platinum band with small diamonds pressed into the sides. “That was her dad’s. I had to pull it away from him... he never got rid of it, even when he knew he should‘ve. When I told him what I was doing, he finally gave it to me.” She shook her head. “Guess there are some things that I even I don’t know. Score one for him, I guess.” 

“So... you guys are ok with this?” Hancock asked tentatively. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you,” he said hurriedly. “It’s just that.. you know...” he gestured to himself, feeling somewhat ashamed. “I ain’t exactly the best choice.”

She laughed again and walked over to him, placing a kiss on his forehead. “Nonsense,” she said. “You’re the perfect choice for her- wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think so.” She pointed to the rings and smiled. “I’d use those as soon as possible if I were you.” 

He clutched his hand around the box and put it in his pocket. “I think I should wait till she finds her kid... she’s got enough on her mind right now without me fucking with things.”

Nia looked at him sternly. “Remember when you asked me about choices, John?” When he nodded, she continued, her young-looking face held in a severe expression. “This is one of those choices I was talking about. Don’t let fear take away your chances, John- I’d like to be able to see you again one day.” Her words sent a chill down Hancock’s spine- _what was she not saying? _

“Anyway,” she said, “my time is up- it was great meeting you, John.” She walked over and hugged him, and he noticed her hair smelled of fruits he couldn’t place and spices he couldn’t name, but the fragrance was sweet and warm. He felt like a small boy in Diamond City again, clinging to his mom’s skirts after playing outside. He hadn’t felt like this since his mother died, and he wanted to stay like this a moment longer.

Hancock realized he’d forgotten these memories, whether out of rage at his brother or the passage of time, and as they returned, they brought tears to his eyes. He wished they had more time with his mom- maybe if they had, his brother wouldn’t have turned out the way he did. He wished his mom could’ve met Grace- she would have loved her instantly and been proud of him for once. He probably wouldn’t be a ghoul, he and Grace would have had a family... but no- he was always too busy fucking up one thing or another, never stopping to think about what he was doing...

A small sob escaped his throat, and Nia just hugged him, patting his back softly. “No matter what, she was proud of you, John- she always knew you’d find your way one day.” 

That was the last straw- Hancock _broke_. Loud, hiccuping sobs tore from his throat, and he cried for what was the first time in what had felt like forever. Though he just met her, he collapsed against Nia and cried while she held him tight. Nia never said another word- she just stood quietly and let him get it all out. 

_ _

* * *

They had been between the moments for longer than they should have been, and she could feel it. Nia knew it was time to get Hancock back, but seeing him like this broke her heart. It wasn’t healthy for either of them to be outside the flow of time for this long, but like most things concerning her family, she disregarded it. Sam had been ill for a few days after shifting the Mentat container into the path of the bullet, but Nia would have no more than a mild headache. She strongly suspected Hancock would have a serious migraine after this, but she needed him strong, and if that meant she had to take more time than she thought, then she would take the time, because If there was one thing she knew better than anyone else, it was that sometimes you had to break something to put it right. If she couldn’t save her kid on her own, she was going to do her damndest to make damn sure he could do it. _There’s always a loophole_, she thought.

Slowly, Nia began to rewind the moments, sending him back to the entrance of Sanctuary. For everyone but them, no time would have passed- it’d be like he never left. At least now Hancock knew what he had to do and had what he was going to need to do it- if he didn’t, she was certain the Grace they knew wasn’t coming back when she realized what was going on. It was all up to him from here on out- she’d done all she could do for the time being. 

_Give her a reason_, she thought as she set the final pieces in place. _She’s going to need it_. 

_ _

* * *

Sturges had taken a look at the plans and said that between the materials they had around town and what we could scrape up from Trashcan Carla, we could get the relay built in a few days. I asked him if he needed help and he shrugged me off, saying that unless I wanted to spend my evenings hearing him say ‘pass the wrench’, I wasn’t going to bring much to the table. I agreed, since engineering was nowhere near my strong suit, and thanked him for his help. Despite the time it would take, I was ecstatic- after all this time, I felt like I was finally getting _somewhere_.

After I left Sturges, I went looking for Hancock at the bar. I saw Nick, Piper, Deacon, and Mac in a heated debate about something, so I plopped on the nearest chair, hugging Piper. “Hey guys,” I said. “Thanks for coming- I got some news.” I scanned the bar, but Hancock was nowhere to be seen. “Hey… anyone know where John is?”

Piper shook her head. “I haven’t seen him at all- we assumed he was with you.” She laughed, taking a sip of her drink. “If it makes you feel any better, Preston’s been in here downing booze like there’s no tomorrow all evening, so at least we know they haven’t gotten into it.”

She was right- that did make me feel somewhat better, and I giggled. While it was great traveling with the boys, It was nice having her around again- I had missed her company. “How do you know about that? I didn’t get a chance to talk to you about anything yet?” 

“That would be me, Princess,” MacCready said, raising his glass. “Found these two and thought I should share how we almost got our heads blown off coming into town because the mayor’s a prickly pear. We tried to invite Preston over for a drink,” he said, pointing to the slumped over minuteman in the corner of the room, "but he just kinda grunted at us and went back to his cup. Figured it would just be best to leave him to it.”

“Probably for the best,” I agreed. “John must be out talking to Mama Murphy still. He’ll come in here eventually. Anyway,” I said, “what’s going on with you guys?"

Piper put her finger to her mouth, thinking. “Not much, other than watching Preston drink himself under the table.” She turned to me. “I got a question though- do you know what’s got him in such a mood? When Deacon and I came in, he was perfectly pleasant, but soon as you guys showed up, so did Gloomy Gus over there- so what gives?” Piper got a gleam in her eye. “Wait- did you two have a fling? Is that why he’s all mopey?”

“_HA_!” I exclaimed. “Not fucking likely- he’s too much like Nate for my tastes. Been there, done that,” I said with a smile. “I brought him and the crew back here to Sanctuary, got things set up, and set up some things for the Minutemen while I was traveling to Diamond City… which, to be clear, I didn’t find,” I said, snatching MacCready’s drink and taking a swig. The kid shot me a murderous look and shoved me, snatching his drink back. I stuck out my tongue as he drank the rest of the glass in one gulp out of spite- the table laughed and Nick got up to get us both drinks to stop further shenanigans. 

Deacon let out a chuckle. “Sounds like you’re breaking hearts all over the Commonwealth, Grace. This a thing with you?” 

I laughed, accepting the fresh drink from the detective. “Hardly. I’m more likely to scare them off than reel ‘em in,” I said, taking a swig of the whiskey. “But hey, I pulled the one that counts… somehow,” I said, laughing. 

“Can’t see how,” Mac said with a smirk. “Nothing says sexy like a klutz with no sense of direction. Must be the fact that you’re a decent shot that’s such a turn-on, huh?”

“I hate you so much, you know that?” I said, poking him in the ribs. "Isn’t it past your bedtime or something?”

He took his drink and grinned at me from above the glass. “And what, miss bothering you? Not likely, Princess.”

“Sounds like I’m missing all the fun,” said a voice from behind me. “Seems like every time I come back, you two are going at it,” Hancock said, placing a kiss on my cheek. “Sorry I’m late- got caught up with something.”

Deacon looked at him, obviously confused. “You’ve been in town for what, half an hour? How could you _possibly_ have anything to get caught up with?” 

Hancock grinned. “Guess I’m just more important than you, spy.” I stood up from my seat and offered him my chair, and he looked at me like I had three heads. “I ain’t takin’ your seat, Sunshine- I can stand.”

“You could… or you could sit and we could share the chair,” I said, gesturing to the empty seat. “Sounds like a problem with an easy solution to me.”

Piper looked like she was fighting to not roll her eyes at us, but her restraint came across like she was having a mild seizure. “Or… he could just, you know, _pull up another chair_, Blue.”

“But where’s the fun in that, Wright?” He grinned and pulled me on his lap, giving me a kiss when I sat down. MacCready made a gagging noise and I hit him in the arm, making sure to not break contact with Hancock’s lips. When Hancock and I emerged, breathless, Deacon was clapping- everyone else was scowling. 

“You two could take that show on the road, you know,” Deacon said. “If this audience is any indication, I’m sure the locals would _love_ it.”

_ _

* * *

Hancock was still reeling from the events of earlier as the evening drew to a close. Piper, Grace, MacCready and the spy had all went outside for some air, leaving Nick and Hancock alone at the table. Even though his head was throbbing, Hancock knew that he needed to tell someone what happened before he talked to Grace, and if the detective didn’t believe the girl before, Hancock definitely had proof for him now. 

“Hey, Nick… got a minute?” He nervously patted his pocket- as improbable as it was, the box was still there. “I need to talk to you about somethin’,” he said quietly. 

The detective looked at him, noticing the seriousness in Hancock’s face. “Sure… what’s on your mind, John?”

Hancock wondered the best way to say this, then decided that the plain truth was probably best. “I met Grace’s mom, Nick.”

Nick just looked at him, his face completely blank. “Um… I think I’m gonna need a little more than that to go on. How is that possible?” The detective stared at Hancock, trying to see if the ghoul was pulling his leg, but Hancock’s face remained unchanged. Nick got a concerned look on his face. “Look, I know we’re under a lot of stress and we’re all tired right now-“

“No, don’t do that, Nick- I know what happened. Sunshine wasn’t lyin’- she can do something that changes time. I swear, I was talking to her for like an hour or so at the Red Rocket, but I ended up right back here… when I left. Freakiest shit I’ve ever seen in my life, and this is from a person who gets high on the regular, Nick. I wouldn’t make something like this up, man.”

“So…” Nick said carefully, “why would she see you and not Gracie? I mean, she is her daughter, John.” Nick took a sip of the drink he had on the table and immediately wished he had ordered something stronger- it looked like it was going to be one of those nights. 

“I asked that too… she said she’d be seeing her soon enough, and Sunshine wasn’t going to be too pleased when she showed up.” Hancock took his glass and chugged it, then took a hit of Jet. “She gave me something,” he said quietly. “And I need your help, cause she said if I’m gonna do this, I gotta do it before that damn machine gets built or everything’s gonna go to hell. I got the impression that sooner was better than later, and she wasn’t exactly the type of lady I feel comfortable ignoring, Nick.” 

“You’re babbling, John,” Nick said. “What did she give you? Let’s start there.” An object was tangible- Nick could work with that. He had no clue how Hancock had gotten it in the first place, but who knows- maybe he was telling the truth. _Stranger things have happened_, he reasoned. _Look at me, I’m proof of that. _

“Ok,” Hancock said, taking a small ring box out of his pocket. Nick’s eyes grew wide- he knew for a fact Hancock didn’t have that earlier because Gracie was wearing his coat. He remembered that when she had the coat on, she had put her hands in his pockets- there was no way she wouldn’t have noticed something like that. “She gave me this… open it, but keep it hidden in case Sunshine comes back.”

Nick opened the box under the table and let out a low whistle. “Shit,” he said quietly. “That’s a pretty nice ring, John.” The detective was flummoxed- the ring and the box were certainly pre-war, but both looked brand-new. He also didn’t remember seeing stones like this or even gold this color, and he felt a funny feeling in his stomach. “John,” he said finally, “whose ring was this?” 

Hancock scanned the table for more alcohol, but there was none. “It's the ring her dad gave her mom when he proposed. And to top it off, she gave me her dad’s ring- lift that little doodad the ring is sitting on and see,” he said, gesturing to the box. “Nick, she basically said some bad shit was going to go down if I don’t do this. I… I don’t know how to do this, so you gotta help me.” Groaning, Hancock put his head in his hands as he continued. "I’m also freaking the fuck out, cause now I gotta explain to her where the _fuck_ I got that damn ring, and I’m pretty sure that conversation ain’t gonna be the best one to have in front of the _reporter_ and the _spy_. You know, the two that _don’t know what’s going on?_”

Nick stared at his empty glass and slid Hancock back the rings. “Well…” he said finally, “Looks like you’re a bit fucked, huh?” 

Hancock let out a guffaw. “_You think_?” He shook his head as he slid the box back into his pocket. “Somehow that feels like an understatement."

Nick smiled. “Well, let’s start with the obvious question- do you want to?” Hancock stared at him in confusion, and Nick gestured back to the rings in Hancock’s pocket. “Do you want to get married, John,” he said simply.

“Oh, that!” Hancock said, understanding finally crossing his face. “Of course I do- that ain’t my issue at all.” 

“Then what is it?” Nick asked. “Seems to me that if you want to do it, you got the rings, and you somehow managed to get the blessing of her parents, then you just checked all the boxes.” The detective pulled out a cigarette and lit it, offering the ghoul one as well. Hancock took one, and Nick gave him a light. “So if that’s all set, then what’s the problem?”

“_I don’t know how to do this_!” Hancock hissed. “That’s the problem! I’m not like you, Nick- I’m a genuine fuck-up. I’m gonna screw this up, that machine is gonna get built, and something’s gonna happen to her and it’s gonna be my fault!”

Nick rolled his eyes. “Oh for the love of- would you calm down!” When Hancock no longer looked like he was about to have a stroke, Nick continued. “Look, it’s not that damn hard- just _ask_ her. It’s as simple as that!”

“But what do I _do_,” Hancock whined- Nick fought valiantly against the urge to slap him. “I don’t know what to say… and what about the others? They’re gonna ask questions.”

“You tell her the truth- that’s it," Nick said slowly. “And when you do this, it's just you and her. All you gotta do is tell her how you feel, ask the question, and give her the ring. Gracie can tell whoever she wants whatever she wants afterward. And,” he said, “since you’re alone, you two can talk about whatever you want.”

“Makes sense,” Hancock said, letting out a deep breath. “Ok...” He smiled at his friend. “Thanks, Nick- I appreciate it.”

“Anytime, John.”

_ _

* * *

I was standing around chatting when Hancock came over and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. “Hey Sunshine,” he said. “Having fun?” 

I smiled. “Yep, just catching up.” I leaned over and tugged on his coat, gesturing for him to bend down. “And watching Piper and Mac flirt,” I whispered. Hancock snorted and I laughed. The others turned to look at us, confused looks on their faces, which only made Hancock and I laugh even harder. 

“Now I know I’m leaving,” he said. “Kid,” he called out, "I know you’re in the middle of something, but you got a minute? Won’t be long.” 

“Make it quick, Mayor,” MacCready said. “I was kinda busy here.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to get in between that… at all,” he said dryly. “I just want to go over a few reasons I picked up when I was here if that’s alright with you.” I had no clue what he was talking about, but apparently, the kid did, since his eyes got wide and he immediately shut up. Wordlessly, MacCready nodded, and the two took off.

“Well that was weird,” Deacon said. “Pardon me, I think I left my-“ 

“Oh no you don’t,” I said. “If they wanted to talk about it in front of us, they would have stayed. Keep your little sneaky ass right here, Deacon.”

He pretended to look hurt, and Piper laughed. “You wound me, Grace. I would never-“ Piper and I both snorted at the same time and he rolled his eyes. “Ok fine, I would. But still, you gotta admit, that was interesting."

Piper shrugged. “It’s Hancock- I gave up on understanding what he does a long time ago.” She looked off at Sturges, who was working to build the relay- he was coming along a lot faster than I thought. “So Blue, looks like this is it… we're gonna get into the institute and get your boy- you excited?”

“Excited and terrified,” I admitted. “It’s almost over- I can’t believe it.”

“For you, maybe,” Deacon said. “For us, the fight has just begun. Thanks to you, we finally have a way inside.” He turned his head away from us- I’d say he was staring off somewhere else, but with the glasses he always wore, I couldn’t be sure. “So yeah, you might be done, but the Railroad is just getting started.” He turned his head back to us. “But, I do have to say thanks for a wild ride- it’s definitely been interesting.”

I extended my hand and he shook it. “Appreciate the help… even if you are a dick, Deacon,” I said, smirking.

Deacon gave me a sweeping bow. “I can only be who I am… and anyone else I decide I want to be,” he said, winking at us. “Ladies,” he said, tipping an imaginary hat to us, “it has truly been a pleasure, but I absolutely _must_ get my beauty sleep. 

As Deacon headed off towards the house, MacCready and Hancock came walking back, still talking with one another. No one looked upset, which was a plus- in fact, they both looked kinda amazed and happy. As Hancock chatted with the kid, I realized that just as I had changed, my friends had changed, too. Before, Hancock and MacCready were simply cordial, but now they often chatted like two brothers, irritating the shit out of each other one minute and taking on anyone who said something out of pocket the next.

“Hey, Pipes- want to take a walk?” MacCready called out to the reporter. “I haven’t gotten a tour of this town yet and I know you’ve found every nook and cranny by now. Feel like playing tour guide?”

I nudged the reporter towards him and she blushed. “Um…sure, I guess… if you really want to, that is.” She fidgeted with the brim of her hat and smiled shyly at the merc. “I’d be happy to, Mac.”

He extended his arm to her, and she wrapped her hand around his. “Then let’s get to it- this town won’t explore itself, you know.” She giggled and the two of them wandered off down the street, looking for all the world like they were having the time of their lives.

“Is that how we looked?” I wondered aloud. Then I shook my head. “Nah, I don’t think you were as entranced with me as I was with you when you gave me a tour of the town.”

Hancock grinned. “You’d be surprised, Sunshine,” he said. “I was pretty darn taken with you as soon as you stopped bleeding on me,” he said, laughing. He offered me his elbow and smiled. “What would you say to taking a trip down to the creek and look at the stars?” 

“I’d be delighted,” I said as I looped my arm around his. 

As we headed towards the creek, I stared up at the sky. Funny, I was in the same neighborhood I had lived in for over a year with my former husband, but I had never taken a stroll like this through the town. Though Hancock was quiet, it wasn’t unpleasant- ever so often, I would look over and I would just see him smiling at me. 

“Why are you smiling?” I asked him shyly. “What’s so funny?”

He shook his head. “Nothing’s funny- I’m just happy, is all. It’s a nice night, I got a beautiful girl on my arm-“ he stopped, giving me a soft kiss on the lips. “What more can I ask for?”

“I’m sure you’ve had plenty of beautiful girls on your arm,” I said as we approached the creek.” 

“Now you’re just fishing,” he said, sitting down next to me. “You know you’re my...“ he rubbed the back of his neck and smiled, lowering his eyes. “Hell, I love you, Sunshine- you’re my everything.” 

“That’s a lot of pressure, don’t you think,” I joked. “Everything is a pretty big title.”

“I’m serious,” he said quietly. “I’ve been thinking about it for a minute, and like I said, life’s too short out here for me to not let you know how I feel.” He let out a deep breath, and then looked up at me. “Grace, I don’t want to do this without you. I want to be by your side, always and forever. So...”

_Oh shit- was this actually happening right now? Did I fall out of a portal? Was I dreaming? _

“I got some advice today,” he said slowly. “They told me not to wait to do what I wanted and that there was never going to be a good time.” He reached in his pocket and closed his eyes, opening the box. “So Grace, would you marry me? I’m trying to ask you proper this time, so please cut me some slack if I’m fucking up, ok?”

I didn’t hear anything else as I stared at the ring in the box. All I could think was this was mom’s ring. That’s the ring dad gave her... and it’s here... and Hancock is giving it to me. My head was spinning, and I had a million and one questions for him, but I realized that first I had to answer Hancock or he was gonna freak out even more than he already was. The poor man still hadn’t opened his eyes, so I leaned forward and kissed him.

He opened one eye cautiously. “So... was that a yes?” 

“Yes,” I said, laughing. “It’s a yes, John.”

“Just want to make sure,” he said, looking relieved. “And I did it proper this time, right? I’m not going to have to redo this or nothin’, am I?” 

I shook my head. “John, this was perfect,” I said. “Now I’m just checking... are you sure this is what you want?” 

“For me and the rest of the world to know I have the best wife out there? Abso-fuckin-lutely, Sunshine.” All of a sudden, his face fell. “Sunshine, are you sure you want to wake up to this ugly mug for the rest of your life?”

“Don’t be an idiot, John,” I said. “I am proud and honored to be Mrs. Grace Hancock, and anyone who has something to say about it can get punched in the face.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said, leaning over to kiss me and I laughed. Then he took the ring out the box and slid it onto my finger. _Of course, it fits, because mom doesn’t do things halfway. _

When he handed me the box, I noticed something was rattling inside. “Hey,” I asked, “What’s in here?”

Hancock, who had been staring at my hand with awe, looked up. “Huh? Oh,” he said. “There’s a ring for me in there too. Wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with it, though- do I wear it now, do I wait... I really don’t have a fucking clue about this here,” he said, shrugging. 

Now it was my turn to grin. “Well, since we’re here,” I said, reaching in the box. “John Hancock, you are one of the best things that’s happened to me since I’ve come to Boston. I owe you not only my life, but my happiness as well- you’ve made every day since I got out of that goddamn vault worth living again, I love you more than I could ever tell you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, So,” I said, plucking out the ring and placing it on his finger, “would you do me the honor of marrying me?” 

“_Goddamn it_, Sunshine, you could’ve told me that’s all I had to do!” 

I shrugged. “Live and learn, John.” I grinned at the man, who was now staring at his hand in awe. “So,” I said, “you marrying me or what?” 

“Hell yeah I am,” he said, gently pulling me to the ground so we could lay down in the grass together. “Damn,” he said, staring at his hand. “You guys sure did waste a lot of money on this shit, huh?”

I burst out laughing. “Yeah, but I don’t think that’s the takeaway we’re supposed to be coming up with here,” I said. “It was a different time.” 

“Well whatever,” he said, shrugging and holding our hands up together. “All I know is I got the most beautiful girl in the world about to be my wife. Now I just gotta live through telling those chuckleheads back there, and I’m all set.”

_Welp, now it was time to address the elephant in the room_. “Speaking of,” I said. “When did you see mom?” 

He sighed. “I was really hopin’ you weren’t going to comment on that part, Sunshine.”

“Yeah, well, we don’t always get everything we want, John.”

He smiled. “I dunno about that, Sunshine... I just did.”


	26. It's our curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace discovers the fate of her son.

_ _

* * *

Hancock was in a great mood when he woke up, despite sharing a house with five other people and a robot butler. The throbbing headache had subsided, and everyone was asleep when they returned, so they hadn’t had to announce anything upon their arrival home. 

Smiling, Hancock kissed Grace on the head as he prepared to get breakfast for everyone. Nick and the kid already knew what he was planning, but he hadn’t had the chance to talk about how it had gone yet. It didn’t matter- at least they were informed, and could run interference between the spy and reporter for them as needed. Taking care as to not disturb anyone, he opened the door and stared in shock as his heart promptly dropped into his feet. 

The relay- that _goddamn_ machine that was supposed to take at least a few days- was done, standing right across from her house like a gigantic fuck you to him. Hancock hoped that maybe the mechanic hadn’t gotten it fully wired, but then he heard the telltale sound of electricity coursing through the attached wires and the thing came to life, crackling and buzzing with an eerie blue light.

“_FUCK_!” he screamed.

_ _

* * *

I was not expecting to wake up to the sound of Hancock swearing. Languid kisses, food, coffee, yes... but the sounds of one extremely pissed off man? Not really the way I envisioned my first day as a newly engaged woman, that’s for sure. 

Panicked, I ran out into the living room, tripping over MacCready and Piper and yelping as I went down. Looking for something to break my fall and finding exactly nothing, I landed with my face on the floor and my elbow in MacCready’s stomach, waking the kid up in the worst possible way. He let out an ear-splitting howl and pushed me away hard, causing me to skid across the floor and into the old coffee table, likely to wind up with what was sure to be a nasty bruise for my trouble. 

“_Ouch_!” I yelled. “What the hell are you doing in the middle of the floor anyway?” At this point, no one in the house was sleeping- everyone ran into the living room to see what all the commotion was about. 

“Until you fell on me, I was _sleeping_!” the kid shot back, holding his stomach. “But apparently I’m not allowed to do that, you big klutz!” 

Hancock ran over to me as I lay on the floor. “Whoa, you all right there, Sunshine?” He picked me up and looked at the arm I was cradling. “What happened over here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” I grumbled. “I woke up cause I heard you swearing, which made me trip over _that_ fucker,” I pointed to MacCready, who was now glaring at me from the couch. “So what the _hell_, dude?”

Just then, Deacon came out of the room, yawning. “Really? I stay up all night to fix that goddamn machine and I get woken up to _this_? I’m really starting to hate you people.”

Hancock whirled on Deacon, enraged. “Of _course_ you helped him get that fucking machine done- why does that not surprise me?” Hancock growled. “Why is it that I can’t have _one_ goddamn day without things going ass-up around here?”

“Hancock...“ I said slowly, “that goddamn machine is the reason I’m here, remember?” Then, I turned to Deacon with a smile. “And even though I know you only did it so you could get information or look at those plans, I still want to say thank you. I appreciate your help, even if you weren’t really doing it for me.”

Deacon yawned again. “You know, I can be nice, Grace. Not often,” he clarified, “but I am capable of doing something nice every once in a while.” He patted me on the shoulder. “I’m going back to bed. Wake me when you get ready to fire it up?”

As he turned to leave, I ran over and threw my arms around him. The spy stuttered and blushed a shade of crimson, then recovered and hugged me back briefly before detangling himself and shuffling back to bed. 

“Looks like Gracie adopted another one, guys,” Nick said with a chuckle as he emerged from the room. “Do we even have room at this point?” The detective looked at me with amusement. “Morning, sweetheart. Sounds like today is the day, huh?”

“Yeah, looks like it,” I said with a huge smile, clapping my hands. “Man...I gotta go talk to Sturges and find out how soon we can leave!” Excited, I let out a whoop of joy and ran out of the room, completely forgetting to ask what had Hancock so upset this morning.   
—

“What do you mean, I can’t take anyone with me?” I frowned and put my hands on my hip. “I’m supposed to go in there alone?”

Sturges looked contrite but nodded. “Afraid so, Grace. The relay works at a molecular level- it can only take one set of molecules at a time. I wish we could send some more, but we've only got the one frequency code. As soon as the Institute figures out what we did - and I gotta believe those brainiacs won't be caught napping twice - that code we've got is useless.”

Hancock didn’t look disappointed, just pissed off. “Shouldn’t we test this first before we blast her across the damn Commonwealth in this tin can? Look at this shit!” Hancock gestured to a beam that fell apart. “How do we even know this works!”

“Uh oh... Uh... Don't worry about that tubing wiggling around. It's... just there for decoration…” Sturges said, running over to bang a loose tube in place. “It’s all perfectly safe... I think.”

Hancock looked at me. “Are you fucking serious, Sunshine- you want to get into this thing?” He pulled me away from the platform and eyed it nervously. “Sturges, I’m already not keen on letting her go in there without me, and I’m definitely _not_ ok with her going in there without us testing it first, so I think you need to come up with another option, sir.”

“Sorry, Hancock,” Sturges said apologetically. "There’s no way to test it without actually jacking into the Institute's signal. And like I said, as soon as we do that, we've used our one and only chance.” He sighed. "I’m sorry, I really am, but there’s not another way, Mayor.”

I put my hands to my temples, trying to figure out what to do next. “Ugh... I’ll be back- it looks like we have to talk.”  
—

“You’re not going, Sunshine,” Hancock said resolutely as we walked into the house. “You don’t know what that thing is going to _do_!”

I flopped onto the couch and glared at him as the others slowly filed in behind us, fully aware that this was about to become a full-scale argument. Nick sat next to me and placed an arm around my shoulder, and Mac and Piper hung near the door, looking for all the world like they were ready to bolt at any given moment, and I couldn’t blame them. Deacon was the only one who looked even remotely comfortable, but I suspected that had more to do with practice than the actual situation. 

“John, I know you’re scared,” I began, hoping to find a way to make him see reason, but I knew it was pointless- hell, even _I_ thought it was a horrible idea. “But you and I both know that this is the only way to do this.” I reached out for him and he hesitated, then finally took my hands, hanging his head. “I have to go, John. It’s what I’ve been working for all this time.”

“I can’t lose you,” he said quietly. “I got a real bad feeling something’s gonna happen if you go, and now I find out that none of us can go with you and help? This ain’t right, Sunshine.”

“Except for us, none of it was right in the first place,” I said softly. “But now we gotta finish it- you know this.” I swallowed. “Look, if you don’t want to be outside when I go-“

“Fuck that,” he said harshly. “Me not watching ain’t gonna stop it from happening. I’m here till the end.”

“Figured as much,” I said. “I‘m going to need you to take care of that for me again, ok? It’s in my backpack.” He nodded, pulling me up to him for a hug, and I buried my face in his neck, savoring the smell of him and the feel of his coat beneath my fingertips. “Watch the video,” I said quietly.

“Course,” he said softly, stroking my hair. “I’m gonna be right here when you two get back, ok?” He swallowed. “You do whatever you have to so you can come back to me, ok?” He pulled away, staring into my eyes and searching my face. “I don’t care what you have to do- you get back here, understand?”

“Gonna be pretty hard to have a wedding if I don’t,” I joked.

“Damn right,” he said solemnly. “Don’t make me have to come after you, Sunshine.”

“Don’t worry, I’m coming back,” I said, pulling away and turning to Nick, who had stood up and was looking just as somber. I wondered why- it wasn’t like they had to step in the crazy machine and get zapped to god knows where in the heart of the people terrorizing the commonwealth. “Nick… don’t look so sad, ok? Like I said, I’m coming back, all right?”

The detective pulled me in for a big hug. “You better,” he said, smiling. “You go get your boy- I’ll keep an eye out on this one for you.”

“Thanks, Nick,” I said, turning to Mac and Piper. “You guys saying goodbye or what?” I extended my arms. “Come on, I want hugs!” 

Piper’s eyes were wet as she approached. “Oh Blue,” she said, crying. “You better be ok, cause apparently, I have to kill you when you get back,” she said, pointing at my hand and trying to smile.

“You could settle for murdering him,” I joked, cocking my thumb at Hancock, “But I think I’d prefer if you just went with congratulations instead- how’s that?” 

“I think I can handle that for right now… as long as you come back,” she said, hugging me. “Nick and I will keep those two in line while you’re gone.” She gestured to MacCready, who was still hanging back by the door. “Mac, you coming over?”

“Nope,” he said as he walked out the door, leaving us standing there, dumbfounded. 

_ _

* * *

“Hey kid, what gives? You got Sunshine in there tearin’ up, you know.”

MacCready stood by the creek and pitched a stone into it, watching the ripples as they cascaded outward. “Don’t care,” he said flatly. “She don’t care, so why should I?” 

Hancock grabbed a stone and pitched it in the water, glancing at MacCready out the corner of his eye. “Care to explain how you figure that one?”

“She’s leaving us, Mayor,” he said, hurling another stone- it landed in the water with a loud splash, and MacCready turned to Hancock, scowling. “You proposed- and she’s still leaving, so she’s done with us. No sense in drawing it out and pretending like she’s gonna come back,” he said angrily. 

“Kid… I’m giving her a reason to come back.” Hancock said, taking his hat off and folding the corners in his hands. “Look, she’s gonna need all the help we can give her- something’s gonna go down while she’s out there and without us, there’s a chance she ain’t comin’ back. And I don’t know about you,” he said, staring at the kid, “but I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure she’s got a reason to come back to me. So, are you gonna stand here in your feelings, or are you gonna go let her know you need her just as much as I do?”

MacCready looked at Hancock nervously. “How do you know all this, Mayor?” He peered over at the ghoul, who was quietly replacing his hat. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“A lot,” Hancock admitted. “But trust me, you don’t want to know.”

_ _

* * *

“You ready?” Sturges asked as I stepped up onto the platform. “Once I hit this switch…” 

I nodded, staring at John and twisting the ring around my finger nervously. “I’m ready. Let’s get this over and done with before I change my mind.”

J“_WAIT_!” A voice yelled out from down the street. “Don’t leave yet, Princess!” I looked up to find MacCready barreling down the street. I held up a hand, signaling Sturges to wait as the kid flew up onto the platform, crushing me in his arms. “I’m sorry… I’m a jerk, I know,” he said, sniffling and wiping his face on his sleeve. “Just… come back, ok? I got so many more things to make fun of you for,” he said with a shaky grin.

“I love you too, Mac,” I said, kissing him on the cheek and hugging him back tightly. “I’m coming back, kid. Who else is gonna make sure you wash behind your ears and get to bed on time?” 

“Whatever,” he said as he punched me in the shoulder. Nick walked up and gently led the kid away from the platform, and I smiled, giving him a tiny wave. Hancock caught my eye and smiled sadly as he waved at me, dad’s ring glittering on his finger in the sunlight. I smiled back and waved- I wanted to run over to him and kiss him goodbye, but I had done that so many times this morning- if I did it again, there was no guarantee I would leave.

I looked out over the faces of my friends, trying to take them all in- I had been fighting for this for so long, but now that I was about to get it, I was scared to leave what I had found. _Screw it_, I thought. At the last minute, I ran over to Hancock, throwing my hands around his neck and giving him a long kiss. “Wait for me,” I said. “I’m coming back and we’re going to do this for real, ok?”

He smiled, holding my face in his hands. “Always, Sunshine,” he said. “Now get outta here before I change my mind.” 

”Love you,” I said, walking back to the platform. “Ok Sturges- let’s do this!”

“Okay,” he yelled, "hold really still. Don't want any corruption of the molecular beam…” The noises got louder and louder as he fiddled with knobs. "I'm scanning for the Institute signal...Tracking RF and... got it!” He threw the switch and looked over at me, triumphant. "Hold on to your butt, Grace!”

The last thing I saw were the faces of Hancock and Nick, staring at me as Sanctuary disappeared in a flash of blue light.   
—

I landed on my ass in what looked to be a basement, alone. When my vision cleared, I was half expecting a cadre of guards to take me as soon as I arrived, but there was nothing as I crept around the lab. Considering where I was, the lack of people made me even more nervous- people signified life. If there were no people, then that could mean that I messed up and I could be who knows where in the commonwealth, which meant that I would never find my son or my friends. 

Just as I was about to work myself into a panic, I rounded a corner and heard a voice come through the loudspeaker. “Hello, Grace,” it said. “I was wondering if you’d make it in here… you are quite resourceful, it seems.” 

“Yeah, well, you’re a right peach,” I growled, peering around the corners for the source. “But, seeing as I would like to get my son and get the fuck out of here, I think we can stop with the fake pleasantries, don’t you? Let’s get down to brass tacks- who the fuck are you and where is my son?”

The voice continued. “You are not one to waste words, are you? In that case, I am Father- the institute is under my guidance.”

“More like your dictatorship,” I retorted. “Cut the shit- where is Shaun?"

"I can only imagine what you've heard, what you think of us,” Father continued. “I'd like to show you that you may have... the wrong impression, but that can wait. You are here for a specific, very personal reason. I know you are here for your son, so step into the elevator so we can talk, please.”

I paused, staring at the elevator in front of me. “Um, I think I want to do a hard pass on that one. Trust the creepy voice that wants me to come up to a place I can’t see? Yeah, that doesn’t sound ominous at all.”

Father spoke, and once again there was no emotion in his voice. "I assure you, no harm will come to you. All I want is for us to have a conversation. Please, let's just talk.”

“You have to see this from my side- you’re the leader of the crew that kidnapped my son, so pardon me if I don’t want to have a cup of tea and a chat- I want my _kid_, damn it!”

"I recognize that you are emotional,” Father said, "and that you have traveled very far, and suffered a great deal, to find your son. I know your journey here has been fraught with challenges, and I am trying to reward your tenacity and dedication, but I cannot do that from down there.”

“If you are playing with me, I will kill you on sight,” I warned. “I’m not leaving here without my boy.”

“That is my hope, Grace. Please, step inside the elevator. Just… try to keep an open mind.”

I stepped inside the elevator and took a deep breath as I descended into the institute.   
  
\--

As I watched the dingy room give way to a whole underground city, Father’s voice cut in again. "Welcome to the Institute,” he said. "For over a hundred years, we've dedicated ourselves to humanity's survival. This is the reality of the Institute. This place, these people, the work we do. Decades of research, countless experiments, and trials... A shared vision of how science can help shape the future.”

“Why close yourself off like this?” I wondered aloud.

"It has never been easy, and our actions are often misinterpreted by those above ground."

“Well, that kinda happens when you kidnap their loved ones and send back synths in their place- people tend to get a little pissy about that, you know?”

He sighed. "Someday, perhaps, we can show them what we've accomplished. But for now, we must remain underground.”

“But... “ I said, staring at the labs as I passed. “You have food, clean water, medicine… the people above need this. Why aren’t you helping them?” Immediately, I thought of John- _the misfits help those who need helping and hurt those who need hurting. They aren’t exactly following our doctrine here, Sunshine_, he'd say, and I’d be inclined to agree. 

Father’s tone had a weary cadence as if he’d explained this too many times before. "There’s too much at stake here to risk it all. As you've seen, things above are... unstable. I'd like to talk to you about what we can do... for everyone.”

I glared at the pristine surroundings. "Well, you could, you know, do something about it? It's rough up there, to put it mildly- if you have this much going on down here, you could help up there.”

"Oh, we've tried that.” I paused, stunned into silence- Father laughed. "Surprised? The Institute once tried to help create a stabilized Commonwealth government. It ended in bickering, infighting... it was a disaster.” Father gave a sad chuckle. "No, we look after our own now.”

“You’re a true humanitarian, Father,” I said, crossing my arms. “I bet your family is just _super_ proud of what a right prick you turned out to be.” 

“I’m a scientist,” he said flatly. “Step out of the elevator, please- I promised you answers, and answers you shall have.”  
—  
I followed the path and ended up inside a clean, sterile room. As I approached, I saw a room with a glass wall…

And _Shaun_.

He was sitting on the floor with his back to me, wearing a clean white jumpsuit. I ran to the glass and placed my hands on it, tears streaming down my face. “Shaun?” I said, sobbing. 

He turned around, surprised. “Yes… I’m Shaun,” he said, blinking. 

He looked so much like Nate that my heart instantly began to hurt. If it weren’t for his honey tinted skin, I would have sworn this was Nate 2.0- he had the same dark hair, the same brown eyes… It was like looking at one of Nate’s school pictures. “Oh my god, baby… you look so much like your dad,” I said, laughing through my tears and resting my hand on the glass near his cheek. “I can’t believe it’s you- I found you.”

“But who are you,” Shaun asked plainly.

Even though I expected it, his question still felt like a slap to the face. “Shaun, honey, it’s _me_… I’m your mom. I’ve been looking all over for you… to take you home.”

“Father!” Shaun called. “Father, what’s going on?” Shaun scanned the room, growing more agitated by the minute. The boy began to crane his neck to look past me.“_Father_!” 

“Shaun… shhh, it’s ok now… I’m here.”

“But I don’t know you! Father, she’s trying to take me away! Father, help!” 

Now I was full-on sobbing. “Shaun, _please_!” I begged. “I’m your mom- _please_!”

A man stepped out from the closed door and stared at me, eyes solemn. “Shaun… S9-23 Recall Code Cirrus.”

_Oh no… _The boy slumped over, just like the Courser. _He’s a synth? My kid is a synth? _

“You sonofabich!” I sobbed. “What did you do to my kid!”

The man ignored me. "Fascinating.... but disappointing. The child's responses were not at all what I anticipated. He's a prototype, you understand. We're only just now beginning to explore the effects of extreme emotional stimuli.”

“_What the fuck!_” I screamed. “You took my boy then you made him a synth! What in the actual fuck is wrong with you people? _Who the hell does that!_”

Father looked apologetic, trying to take my hand- I snatched it away as if it was made of acid. His eyes lowered and he paused for a second, then recovered, using that same stilted tone that made me want to punch him in the face. “Please, Grace- try and keep an open mind. I recognize that you are emotional and that your journey here has been fraught with challenges-“

“_Emotional_?” I was livid. "Did you just fucking say ‘emotional’? I have been stuck in a vault for over 200 years, my boy has been stolen from me, I almost die multiple times out here trying to save him, only to have some jack-wad tease me with a synth version of my boy?” My eyes were blazing fire and I was ready to murder this man. “You… are going to give me Shaun. The real Shaun, right now, or so help me god I am going to blow a hole in your goddamn head. Do we understand each other?”

"I know, I know,” Father said, sighing deeply. "You've gone to such lengths to find him. But, I have to say, it's good to finally meet you, after all this time.” 

The man smiled, and all of a sudden my heart dropped into my throat- that smile was the same one I had seen on Nate many times. It had the same tilt of his lip on the right-hand side, making his brown eyes crinkle. "It's me,” the man said. "I am Shaun... your son.”

“No,” I whispered, but it was pointless- I knew he was telling the truth.

Shaun looked at me sadly. "In the Vault, you had no concept of the passage of time. You were released from your pod and went searching for the son you'd lost, which is commendable. But then you learned that your son was no longer an infant, but a 10-year-old boy and you were able to believe that ten years had passed- is it really so hard to accept that it was not ten, but sixty years?” He extended his hands to me. "That is the reality, Grace. I am Shaun, your son. Raised by the Institute, and now its leader.”

"Why are you doing this to me?” I whispered. "After everything I've been through…”

Shaun placed his hands on my shoulders- I flinched and he removed them. “Grace, please,” he said. “Just try to relax. I know this is all difficult to take in and the degree of trauma you're experiencing right now is understandable... I don't mean any of this to hurt you. I'm just... I'm trying to help you. Help us,” he amended. 

Unable to cope anymore, I watched the world turn gray as I passed out at his feet.

\--  
I woke up in a room with my hands and feet tied to a bed. I thrashed about and tried to get free, but it was no use- I was trapped. Tears threatened to come behind my eyes, but this time I wouldn’t cry- this was the Institute, the boogeymen of the Commonwealth, and I was getting a first-hand account of why they had that reputation. 

“Stop it, GraceFace,” a voice said. “You’re kinda stuck, so you may as well relax.”

_That voice... _I whipped my neck around to see the source of it and found my mom walking in from a nearby door. My eyes narrowed. “Mom. Of course.”

She held up her hands in apology. “I didn’t do this and you know it, Grace.” Mom sat on the edge of the bed and kissed my forehead. “I’ve missed you, kiddo. It’s been a long time.”

“Probably longer for me,” I said angrily. “How much time passed for you guys?” 

“About a year,” she said finally. “You know how it is.” I sighed and she brushed my hair out of my face. “I’m sorry, baby... I know this isn’t what you wanted.“

“That’s an understatement,” I said bitterly. “My son is basically wasteland Hitler, and I’m trapped in here, probably pumped with every tracking device and drug known to man. Saying this isn’t what I wanted is putting it mildly, mom.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, no drugs or trackers are involved,” she said with a smile. “I can at least give you that much.”

“Only a year at home, huh?” I looked up at the ceiling, trying not to cry. “So if I go back, then what? It’s like none of this ever happened, right?“

“You of all people should know it doesn’t work that way, Grace. Besides,” she said, pointing to my hand, “would you want to?”

“But what would happen?” I asked, ignoring her question. “Couldn’t you just make me forget all this, let me go home and I just have a missed year? I’d be what, 24 again? Missing a year wouldn’t be that implausible at that age, right?” 

“Grace-“

“No,” I said tersely. “I want a straight answer, for once in my goddamn life, mom. _What. Would. Happen.”_

She sighed. “You’d destroy John, for starters.” Mom got up from the bed and walked over to stand in front of me. “You’d never be able to come back to where you were here- the flow of time wouldn’t let you. The rest of their lives would pass in what would amount to a heartbeat for you, Grace, and you’d be miserable.” She reached out to squeeze my fingers- her touch felt warm beneath my cold hands. “I get that you’re hurting, honey- I know what it’s like.”

“No, you _don’t_ mom,” I spat. "Dad just cheated on you- I know that’s bad, but I’ve missed my son’s life. Not only that, but I just learned the thing I’m fighting is the one thing I’ve been fighting for the entire time I’ve been awake. So, don’t you dare profess to know how I feel- this is _nothing_ like that.”

“Kindly remember who you’re talking to, Grace,” she said coldly. “Don’t think that you know everything when you’re only exposed to a part of the story.” Mom sat back on the bed, tightening her grip on my hand and instantly it felt like all the air was sucked out of the room as flashes of images sped through my brain. In my head I saw my mom, over and over again- she was in different time periods and with different people, but it was always her. Frantic at the onslaught, I tried to let go, but she wouldn’t let me- the images and emotions just kept coming and while I felt like I was going to splinter apart from the strain, she just stoically sat there, watching.

_Holy shit- was this how she felt all the time? _

She let my hand go and I gasped for air, relieved that the onslaught had stopped. “Grace,” she said, sighing. "I’ve lived so many lives and I remember them all. You aren’t alone by any stretch of the imagination, honey- I have felt this pain over and over again, but every time I come back.” She placed her hand on mine again and I winced, but no images came this time. She gave me a soft smile and rubbed my fingers. "So when I say I understand, please believe that I do.”

“But Mom,” I whispered. “What do I do? I’m trapped here and the one causing problems for my friends is my son? How do I live with that?” 

“For starters, you don’t run away,” Mom said, smiling. “You’re my kid- you’re made from tougher stuff than that.” 

I swallowed. “Sometimes I’m not so sure about that, Mom.” 

“Good thing I am, then.” She paused and looked thoughtful. “Grace, what’s kept you going while you’ve been out here? Besides the thought of finding Shaun, that is?”

“My friends,” I said. “They’ve been there for me since the beginning.”

“And they’ll be there for you after,” she said. “But for there to be an after, you can’t run away, Grace.” She looked away sadly. "I was never disappointed in you- I was just sad for you because as soon as you told me about Shaun, I knew there was nothing I could do.” She stared at me, regret filling her green eyes. "I am so sorry your life worked out like this… believe me, I am.” 

“Then help me,” I said. “Fix this- I know you can!” I said excitedly. "You can, I don’t know, make him not be evil, or come over to our side, or… something, right?” 

“Grace,” she said patiently, “why do you think we haven’t talked before?” Just like earlier, she gave me a sad smile. “Trust me, if I could have fixed it, I would have. But I’ve tried to help you while you’re out here… and send you what you need.” 

“John,” I said, realization seeping in. “You’re the reason I ended up in Goodneighbor.” I thought about it a moment more, seeing where I could place her hand in the events that transpired during our journey. “And you had Sam and Mama Murphy help him, too.” Soon, understanding started to creep in. “You can’t help me directly,” I said slowly, “but you can help others help me… is that it?” 

She shrugged, but this time I saw a little bit of joy in the smirk playing across her face. “You really are your father’s daughter, you know that?” She gave me a full smile and started to stand up from the bed again. “By the way, he’s proud of you too, you know.”

“That’s a first,” I said. “But, getting back to the point, this feel-good fest doesn’t help me all that much when I’m strapped to a bed with Murder Inc. outside my door, Mom.”

“Well, that I might be able to help you with,” she said. “I think you might need to phone a friend, Grace.”

“Very funny, Mom,” I said, flailing my bound hands at her. “I’ll get right on that.” 

She scoffed. “What did you leave back in Sanctuary?” 

_My phone…_ “Um… that hasn’t had service in years,” I said. “And besides, I kinda need a phone to talk on one, don’t you think?” 

She shook her head at me and laughed. “Somehow I don’t think that matters when you’re asleep, Grace.” She raised her eyebrow. “Maybe you ought to think about doing whatever you can to get out of here… didn’t someone say something like that before you left?"

_You do whatever you have to do to get back to me, Sunshine_, he’d said.

Mom nodded, clearly reading my thoughts. “Maybe that includes playing along. Maybe if you take a nap ever so often, it might help you figure out what to do next.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’d ask you how that’s gonna work, but it’s not like you’re gonna tell me. At the very least,” I said, gesturing with my bound hands, “Can you help me get out of here?”

She smiled. “You’ve only just been put in here, Grace. Shaun will be in shortly- I figured I should chat with you before you did something rash. I’m afraid we don’t have much time left, though.” 

“We’re outside of time, huh? Well, that’s just peachy.” I frowned. “Mom, _seriously- _what do I do about Shaun?”

Mom sighed. “All I can tell you is to talk to him and do what you believe is right. He’s your son, but that doesn’t mean you have to stand by what he does. All your paths work out in the end, Grace- I can tell you that much, but I can also tell you that doing what you think is right leads you to the best one. And none of them involve coming home… at least not yet,” she said, smiling. “Your dad and I have at least a little bit more time before we kill each other.” She patted me on the shoulder. “You wanted to be a savior, honey, and you got it. You’re up, Grace- time to save the commonwealth.”

“Was this the assignment all along?” I stared at her incredulously. “Did I do anything that mattered before the bombs fell?”

“Well…” she said apologetically as she walked out the door, “you wouldn’t be where you are now if you didn’t, would you?”

_Fuck, I hate her sometimes. _

As soon as she left, Shaun came in. “Hello, Grace,” he said in that clipped voice of his. “How are you feeling?”

I tried to focus on what Hancock said, and I tried to keep the irritation out of my voice, “I’d be better without the restraints,” I said. “Care to take them off and we can have a real chat?”

Shaun eyed me nervously. “I’m not sure that… would be wise. I'm so sorry,” he said. "I wish that things were different, but I must think first and foremost about the safety of everyone here. You do understand, don’t you?

“I’d understand more if I weren’t strapped to the bed like a patient in a psych ward.” I huffed. “If I wanted to kill you I would’ve done it already. Don’t be what the people think you are, Shaun."

"People are always frightened by what they don't understand,” he said with an air of finality. "Ultimately the Commonwealth has nothing to fear from us. Whatever you've seen or heard, I know I can convince you of that."

“Then start now,” I said. “Convince me I have nothing to fear by letting me go.” I looked at him, pleading. “Shaun, I’m your mother… you owe me this much.”

He sighed. “Very well... mother.” He carefully unbuckled my restraints, eyeing me the whole time. When the last buckle was undone, I sat up, rubbing my wrists. I was pissed, but I kept my mouth shut- it wasn’t the time. Instead, I went for information. “Have you been here the whole time, Shaun? 

Shaun nodded. "I have, yes- ever since they rescued me.”

They didn’t rescue you,” I spat. “They stole you from me, Shaun.”

"You have to understand,” he said, shaking his head. "The Institute was on the verge of a breakthrough with synthetic organics. They needed DNA, un-tainted by radiation from the bombs. They found me.”

“And they couldn’t find any other people’s kids to steal? Lucky us,” I muttered. 

He continued as if I hadn’t spoken, either on purpose or through obliviousness. “Ours was a unique situation. Vault-Tec records were easily accessible to the Institute, and they were looking for as young a specimen as possible. Rather than cast me aside once they had what they needed, they raised me as one of their own. I've lived my entire life within the Institute.”

“Oh how _generous_ of them,” I said sarcastically. “Well, they’re practically paragons then,” I hissed.

He nodded, missing my sarcasm completely. "It helped that I had a natural affinity for science, but yes.” I stared at him with horror and he realized his misinterpretation of my response. "I’m not justifying what they did,” he said. “I’m just explaining."

“They had no right to take you! You were my son... our son…I...I woke up,” I said, stuttering. "I saw them take you, but I couldn't stop them... I couldn't do anything…”

“Well, it was never their intention to have you stop them,” he said, staring at a point past my head. "My parents were supposed to be kept in cryogenic suspension should a, uhh, "backup" be required.”

“Backup my ass- they froze me, murdered your dad and _stole_ you, Shaun!” I was livid. "How can you be so callous?”

Shaun paused, staring at me as if I was insane. “I’m not so sure if you’re approaching this in the right manner, Grace. Yes, my father was killed. Murdered? I'm not so sure about that.” He looked down and picked at his fingers. "I've gone over the records of the incident, of course,” he said hurriedly. "It seems his death was an unfortunate bit of collateral damage. Still... I do regret never having known him."

“Collateral damage? Are you fucking serious? That was your dad!” incredulously, I shook my head at the man. “Your father gave up everything for you, and you treat his death like it was nothing? What happened to you, Shaun?"

The man had the audacity to let out a small laugh. "I forget that it's been such a short time for you, Grace. Unlike you, I don't have any direct memories, and I've had my entire life to cope with the loss.” He shrugged again. "Has it always been easy? Of course not. But I've done my best to move on and live my life.”

“Mother, or mom,” I said through gritted teeth. 

“Pardon me?” Shaun looked confused. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“I am your mother. I don’t give a damn how young I look to you, but you are my child- you will always be my child. I would appreciate it if you would address me as such, cause between your cavalier attitude and your disrespect for me, you’re pissing me right the fuck off… _son_."

Shaun nodded apologetically. “For that, I apologize- I mean no disrespect and I have no doubt that I may have offended you. I'm afraid I have little experience with those emotions, having lived my life within the Institute.” He sighed and stood up from his chair. “It is difficult- for many years I never questioned who my parents were. I accepted my situation and that was that. But,” he said, “with old age comes regret, which leads to asking "what if..." more often.” 

At that moment, two men appeared in the doorway, and Shaun gestured to them. They sat out a jumpsuit, and a plate of food and Shaun moved towards the door. “I appreciate your willingness to talk…mother,” saying the word as if it was foreign to him. “But I must be going now. Can we please continue our conversation tomorrow? In the meantime, I would like to offer you food and a shower- your vitals show that you are exhausted, and I would very much like to continue where we left off.”

I stared at the plate warily. “How do I know this food isn’t poison, and how do I know you guys didn’t run any crazy experiments on me while I was out?”

Shaun scoffed. “Now why would I poison you? I admit we ran checks on your vitals when you collapsed, but other than that, I would not let anyone cause you undue harm, Gra- mother.”

I caught the fact that he said ‘undue harm’ instead of ‘no harm’, but I didn’t call attention to it. “That’s rather… pleasant of you, Shaun.” Every time I called him by his name, I could see him wince- he had been so used to being called father that me using his given name had to be unnerving for him. Frankly, I didn’t fucking care- he was Shaun, and that was that. 

He walked towards the door, pausing in the doorway. "I know there's more for us to discuss, and I wish there was something to say that would make all of this easier for you.” He looked at me with an expression I couldn’t quite place. "I’m so sorry,” he said finally. "I wish that things were different- I know this isn't what you wanted to find here.”

“That’s for damn sure,” I said as he left the room and shut the door, locking it behind him. 


	27. Inform-er! (Cue unintelligible lyrics here)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace is stuck in the institute; Hancock gets to explain things to Nick and MacCready

_ _

* * *

Hancock was sitting by the creek, trying to not lose his shit while Grace was away. On a rational level, he understood why she left- he knew she had to go and save her boy, but on a personal level, he was a wreck. Nick had tried to talk to him, but he couldn’t deal with anyone else- Hancock wanted Grace, and unless someone was magically going to bring her back, there was nothing any of them could do for him. So, while the others went to the bar to drown their sorrows, Hancock headed out to the creek so he could listen to her voice. 

He popped a mentat and pressed the buttons that she had told him to- by now he had the combination memorized- and looked for her video. After a moment, her smiling face appeared on the screen, and he hit the button in the center to hear her voice for the umpteenth time that night. 

_Hey, hon, I know this is super weird right now, but I wanted to leave you a message so you could have a piece of me with you while I go off on this adventure with the kid. Right now, you’re laying in bed, looking all sexy_\- the camera panned over to a quick shot of him in bed, and he laughed. _And I’m out here on your balcony while your town is asleep, recording this for you. Since I’d rather be inside with you, I’m gonna make this quick, ok?_

_I know this video isn’t as good as the real thing, but I wanted you to be able to hear me say ‘I love you’ whenever you wanted. So John… I love you. You are my everything, and I want you to know that no matter what, home is wherever you are. Even if it feels like we’ve been apart for a long time, you better believe that I am always coming home, ok? So whenever you’re feeling angry, or sad, or lonely, just know that I’m thinking about you wherever I am, and I’m also counting the minutes until I get to be with you again. _

She turned away from the camera for a moment, brushing away hair that a breeze tossed into her face._ Just stay safe for me, John. I love you too much for anything to happen to you, and I can’t wait to come back home. You better believe_\- she grinned wickedly at the camera- _that I’m going to be super excited to show you just how much I missed you._ She paused for a moment and her smile reached out to him from the screen, making his heart dance and ache all at the same time. _I love you so much, John,_ she said, blowing a final kiss to the camera before stopping the video. 

“That’s pretty sweet,” a voice said behind him. The sound made Hancock jump and he awkwardly tried to hide the phone behind his back. “No need, John- I’ve got my own.” She waggled another brick in his face, and he let out the huge breath he had no idea he’d been holding. It was as if there was nothing left but him and the strange woman- the night had gone still, completely dark save the flickering glow of the screen.

“Nia,” he said. “This is a… pleasure, I think,” he said. He paused, then he frowned. “Nope, I’m lying- it’s actually downright scary. Why are you here?” He stared at the woman, who looked just as she did when he had seen her last. Hancock thought once again that it was unfair that they could just pop in on him when they felt like it, but the woman he loved could never do the same when he needed her most. “Is something wrong with Grace?”

“Yes,” said Nia, and Hancock felt his panic start to rise- he had hoped she was going to tell him everything was fine, but the woman did not give one fuck about his feelings. “She’s been captured by the Institute, John.”

Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe- his chest felt tight and the world began to swim in front of his eyes. He began absentmindedly unbuttoning his coat, desperately trying to get any air he could, but it was of no use. “I- I gotta go get her. I’ll talk to Sturges- we can... I don’t know...” Hancock turned to her, anger flaming in his dark eyes. “That’s your kid! You can send me over there to her- let’s go, now- I’m ready whenever you are,” he said, brushing the dirt off his pants and looking at the woman. “So how does this work, exactly?"

“It doesn’t work the way you’re thinking, John,” Nia said, taking a seat and patting the log next to her- nervously, Hancock sat back down. “True, Grace is questioning things in there and yes, she needs you, but you have to help her from here.” She smiled and it unnerved him- _how can she smile at a time like this? _“I’m happy to see that you can at least work that a little bit,” she said, gesturing to the phone. “Makes my job a little easier. But still,” she said, touching a finger to his temple, “You’ll need a bit more instruction for the next part.”

Hancock felt a warm sensation where she had touched his head, but nothing felt different. “So what’s goin’ on with Sunshine? Why are we sitting here if she needs me?” 

“Because we’re waiting on a phone call,” Nia said politely. “Should be any minute now.” The woman looked at the phone in Hancock’s hand, which began to buzz and vibrate in his palm- he was so startled that he almost dropped the device on the ground.

He yelped and tried to keep his hold on the phone. “What the hell is it doing?” Hancock asked. “Why is her picture on the screen?”

“Because it’s Grace calling you, silly. Press the green button and hold it up to your ear,” she said. “I’d hurry up and answer it if I were you- you might miss the call.”

Quickly, Hancock did as he was told. “Hello,” he said tentatively. “Sunshine, is that you?”

The voice on the other end was definitely her, and she sounded relieved. “Hancock? Oh my fucking god, did this actually work?”

“Sunshine?” Hancock asked incredulously. “Oh my god, I can’t believe it’s you!” He looked at Nia, who evidently knew what he was about to say- she nodded. “Your mom is here… she just showed me how to answer your call.” He frowned. “I thought you said this thing wouldn't work anymore? How are you talking to me?”

“Last I checked, I was asleep over here- I have no clue how I’m actually talking to you other than really fucking lucid dreaming, I hope. I also hope you’re real and not my overworked brain making shit up. So, as far as how, I think you’ve got more answers than me- my mom was the one who suggested I try this, so I would be extremely surprised if this wasn’t her doing in some way.” She was rambling, but he didn’t care- it was obvious she was as excited to talk to him as he was to hear from her. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you- I’ll take what help I can get at this point.”

Hancock’s mind was reeling. “I could say the same, Sunshine. But, if this were a dream, I’d be right there with you instead of just talking to you on this here."

“You should probably get to the point- John, you’re going to have company soon,” Nia warned. “I’m not exactly thrilled at the energy I’m expending for this connection, guys.” Hancock had no idea what the hell was going on, but he was rapidly losing his capacity to be surprised by anything dealing with Grace and her clan. 

Grace heard her mom through the phone. “Fair enough. John, here’s the story- I got caught by the institute- right now I’m locked in a room and they won’t let me out. Oh, and the director of the Institute is my son.”

“Ok I don’t know what to tackle in that statement first,” Hancock said. “Your mom told me they caught you,” he said, “But they locked you up too? Are you all right? How do I get you out- what do you need me to do?” 

Nia shook her head “You don’t, John. Grace has to get herself out.” Hancock frowned again, but Nia continued. “Sorry, but that means Grace has some work to do.”

Hancock returned his attention to Grace. “You hear all that?”

Grace was silent, then he heard her exhale. “Yep. That means help ain’t coming. Joy,” she muttered. 

Nia nodded. “What it means is that she has to play along for a while, hence the need for this little call. By the way, you have two days, Grace- after that his patience is going to run thin, and you’re going to lose one of your options, honey.” 

Nia turned to Hancock, that faraway look passing over her face for a moment before disappearing. “I’d get home quickly if I were you- there’s a caravan heading back to Goodneighbor in the next hour you may want to hitch a ride with. If you leave right away, you’ll be available to answer the next call. You’ve got things to do there and you may want to see if your family can help you with this situation,” she said pointedly. “At the very least, they can make sure you don’t miss the other two calls, John.” _Ahh, she’s talking about Nick and MacCready_, he thought. _They know about Grace and the phone- they can help_. 

He put all that out of his mind for a moment and returned his attention to the woman on the phone. “I’m so happy to hear your voice, Sunshine.” Then he turned over what she had said before in his mind. “Wait… the director is your son? A ten-year-old is running the institute?”

Grace paused- when she spoke again, her voice was wobbly. “Yeah it’s my son, John, but no, he’s not ten. Apparently, I got frozen for another sixty years.” She let out a laugh laced with disappointment. “Father, the director of the institute, is my son... he’s Shaun,” she said bitterly. 

“Shit,” Hancock said, not knowing what else to say. “Oh wow, Sunshine- I’m so sorry.”

“Be sorry later,” Nia warned. “Remember, Grace, you got promises to keep and lives to save- yours included.”

Hancock nodded. “I hate to say it, but your mom is right- you’re stuck for now- play nice and don’t piss him off 'til you can find a way out of there, Sunshine.” He swallowed. “They ain’t done nothing to you, have they?”

“According to mom, no,” she whispered. “But I’m terrified." Her voice wavered and Hancock once again wished he could wrap her up in his arms and comfort her. “I’m so scared, John- I don’t want to eat anything and I’m afraid if I go to sleep, I’m not going to wake up as me.” She let out a soft sob. “I want to come back to you, John and I’m scared they won't let me.”

“Is he going to hurt her?” Hancock asked- his voice was low and controlled, trying to keep his anger in check. He was a second away from racing to the ruins to rescue her, futile endeavor or not.

Nia’s face bore a hard expression as she directed her response at Grace. “I can guarantee that they will not harm you, honey- however, that guarantee is going to come with consequences. You know the rules, Grace- nothing comes without a price- it’s always just a matter of who pays it.”

Hancock growled. “I’ll pay it,” he said immediately. “Anything to keep her safe.”

Nia shook her head sadly. “I wish you could, John, but the bill is for Grace, and it’s going to be hard for her to pay.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “But, no sense in getting worked up over something you can’t control or fix, John. This was always going to happen... I just need you to be there for her.”   
  
“Always,” he said. “Sunshine, I love you,” he blurted out. “I’m here for you- I’m gonna help you no matter what.”

“That’s just what a dream would say,” she quipped, and Hancock was pleased to see that she hadn’t completely lost her sense of humor. “You better be real or I’m gonna strangle you, cause I love you more than anything else right now and I’m not in the habit of loving strange men.” 

“Glad to know your husband doesn’t have any competition in your dreams or otherwise.” He stared at the band on his hand, and thought about how she had to come back- there was no other option for him. “When you get back, we’re doing this right, Sunshine.”

He could hear the smile in her voice, and it made him ache to hold her. “All things considered, I think we’re doing just fine,” she said. 

“Time’s up,” Nia said softly. “I’m sad to say I won’t be back here for a minute, but I finally feel like you guys have a chance to be ok.” She stood up and looked at Hancock, and he got the strangest sensation she was seeing right through him. “I can give you two more calls to get things together, but I’m going to need you to say your goodbyes now.” 

Hancock stared at the phone, slowly realizing that he was about to lose her yet again, and he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to rage, to scream and cry at the unfairness of it all, but he knew it was useless- he wasn’t supposed to have this time with her, so he decided to be thankful instead. “I love you, Sunshine... you do whatever you have to so you can come back to me, ok?”

“I will,” came the response on the line. “Take care of everyone, John.” Grace paused for a moment then came back, her voice unsteady. “Can you make sure they know I’m ok...and keep them safe?”

“Of course,” said Hancock. “Hey, we're still your family over here- I'm not letting anything happen to ‘em while you're gone.”

Grace sighed. “You have no idea how much that means to me right now.” He held the phone tightly to his ear, wishing he could just see her face or hold her in his arms- instead he had to settle for the sound of her voice, and for the moment, it was enough. “I love you too, John,” she said softly.

If she said anything else, he didn't know it- the phone went quiet. Hancock looked around for a trace of Nia, but ultimately found himself alone by the water's edge, with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company and the nighttime sounds that slowly crept back into his consciousness.

_ _

* * *

Nick was worried about Hancock- he had been withdrawn ever since Gracie left, but now he was practically manic. He had raced back through town, yelling about how they had to get to Goodneighbor right away, and he was leaving Sanctuary right now. When Preston had suggested that they wait for word about Grace, Hancock just told the Minuteman to fuck off, leaving Nick to make a hurried apology for his behavior as he trailed after the ghoul. The others had simply shrugged- it wasn’t exactly out of character for Hancock to be mercurial, after all.

Resigned to leaving, the crew headed out with a caravan to Goodneighbor. Oddly enough, they were making great time- they should be in the city limits by tomorrow afternoon. _Never thought travel by Brahmin would be the height of my day, but live and learn_, Nick thought. He glanced over at Hancock, who was fidgeting with something in his pocket- the detective assumed it was Grace’s phone, but he couldn’t be sure. “Whatever you’re bothering seems important, John. Good way to get robbed,” he said pointedly, hoping Hancock would take the point and cut it out. 

Hancock sighed. “It is, Nick.” He got a faraway look on his face and tried to turn away, but Nick wasn’t going to let him- this had gone on for far too long and enough was enough. “John, what’s going on? I know you miss Gracie-“

“It’s not just that, Nick,” he interrupted. “It’s a whole lot more than I can even say right now.” 

Nick noticed the caravan coming to a stop by a river and gave Hancock a forced smile. “Well, it looks like we’re stopping for a break.” He turned to John and saw his hand had migrated back to his pocket- the detective sighed. “How’s about you and me wander off and have a chat, huh?” 

“We can’t, Nick- I gotta make sure I get home. She’s-“ he cut himself off and sighed. “Never mind, he said wearily. “Just you and me, Nick- I want to talk to the kid, but he’s so tangled up under Wright that we won't be able to shake her and the spy.” He looked over to where MacCready and Piper were having a conversation with Deacon. “And this conversation is for family only.”

They walked a bit away from the caravan, with Nick promising to keep an eye out for any signs they were about to pack up. Satisfied with the answer and the distance, Hancock finally relaxed a little. “Ok, John,” Nick said, “spill it- what the hell is going on with you?”

“Grace got captured by the Institute,” he said shakily. “And I can’t save her this time, Nick.”

Nick just stared at the ghoul as if he'd lost his mind. “John... just because you couldn’t go with her doesn’t mean the worst has happened... she could be fine.”

He shook his head. “No, you don’t understand- her mom came back and paid me a visit.“ He took out the phone and showed it to Nick. “She let Sunshine call and tell me herself.” Hancock looked miserable. “And it gets worse.”

“Wait a minute, you mean to tell me you knew what was going on all this time? And you didn’t tell us?” Nick felt himself getting angry. “We could've-“

“Did what, Nick?” Hancock glared at the detective, crossing his arms. “Hell, first of all, I found out right before you came to the creek to see about me, so I haven’t known all that long either. Second of all, you barely believe us in the first place, so why would I even want to tell you? We both try and tell you what happened, I show you the rings, and yet you still don’t believe me... so fuck it,” Hancock said, kicking a nearby rock. “It’s just been easier to not say anything to you.”

“Shit, John,” Nick said, pressing his fingertips to his temples. “Look, it’s not that I don’t believe you- it’s just that it’s hard to accept even more crazy on top of what we’re already dealing with sometimes.” He placed a hand on Hancock’s arm and for a moment, the ghoul stopped pacing. “I’m sorry if I made you feel like that- you and Gracie are a lot of things, but crazy ain’t one of them.” He paused, realizing that Hancock had said something else. “Wait... how does this get worse?”

“Her son,” he said quietly, “Is the director of the Institute.” Nick’s mouth flew open and Hancock nodded morosely. “It ain’t been ten years, Nick... it’s been sixty. That evil sonofabitch is her kid.” He shook his head. “Sunshine’s trapped in crazy town by her own son.”

The detective put his hand to his mouth, trying to will his brain to catch up with the information that Hancock was telling him. “First things first, we gotta tell Mac- If we keep this from him, he’s gonna flip out.” Hancock nodded and Nick turned back towards the camp, mentally trying to sift through the muck. “Second,” he said cautiously, “can we get in contact with Gracie again to get her out of there?”

“That’s why I’m holding the phone, Nick- it buzzes when she calls. Her mom said she can call me two more times, but she made sure to tell me to be home when she calls me again. I don’t know about you, but when Riddles McGee tells me to do something, I’m kinda inclined to do it nowadays.” Hancock twisted his fingers together nervously. “What am I going to do, Nick? She’s all I got,” he said quietly. 

“Well apparently you got her mom looking out for you, so we aren’t out of the game yet,” Nick said with a soft smile. “Let’s get back to the group- I’ll figure out how we can get Piper detached from the kid, but I get the feeling we’re gonna need to tell the spy something. I think we might need his help.”

“I’ve been thinking the same thing,” Hancock said. “And I’m not looking forward to that at all.”

_ _

* * *

I woke up, still in the Institute, but surprisingly, I was unmolested and in one piece. Though mom had assured me I wouldn’t be harmed, self-preservation strongly suggested that I remain vigilant. But for the moment, I was convinced of my relative safety, so I showered, washed my hair, and dressed in one of the horrible jumpsuits. I groaned as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror- I looked like a member of the Borg, but at least I didn’t smell anymore. 

When I emerged from the bathroom, I noticed I was also being watched by a man from the doorway. 

_A courser... and not just any Courser- it’s the one from Kellogg’s memories. Fuck._

“Good morning, ma’am. Father has assigned me to make sure you are comfortable and safe while you are here.”

I glared at him. “You and I have two very different definitions of comfortable, sir.”

He didn’t move or flinch at my hostility. “My designation is X6-88. You may call me X6, if you prefer. Father has requested you join him for breakfast- it would be unwise of you to keep him waiting, ma’am.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t want to keep Father waiting, now would we? Not like I haven’t been waiting for, oh... sixty years or so,” I said sarcastically. 

X6 ignored my sarcasm, and I followed the Courser down a long, white corridor. Everywhere I turned there were synths and people milling about or scurrying from one place to the next. Though I was thoroughly creeped out by what they did here, I had to admit, people looked a lot happier than I would have expected. 

_Except for the slavery part, or did you conveniently forget about that? _

We passed a room that had a bunch of terminals in it, and I kicked myself for not thinking about having a plan to send someone a message in case things went sideways... like now. “X6, can you wait for me for a moment? I would like to speak to someone in here about what they do- it’s been an area of interest for a while,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t be able to tell that I was trying to shovel massive bullshit down his throat. _Maybe if I could just talk to someone, figure out how these synths were escaping... _

Either he noticed and wasn’t buying it, or he just didn’t give a crap about what I wanted. “That would be unwise, ma’am, as this area is closed off. Plus,” he said simply, “Father is waiting for you. We would do well to not-“

“Keep him waiting, yeah yeah, I heard you the first time,” I said tersely. “God, you do realize I’m older than he is, don’t you?” 

“Age is irrelevant, ma’am. He is the director of the Institute, and you are a guest.” The courser led the way to Shaun’s room, where he was indeed waiting for me with a spread of food. Though I didn’t want to, my mouth began to water at the sight, and I eyed Shaun warily. 

“Hello, mother,” he said, gesturing towards a seat at the table. “Have a seat- I’m looking forward to talking with you this morning.” It seemed as if he had been practicing- the title rolled off his tongue now, no longer halting on his lips like it tasted bad. “I trust you slept well and rested last night?” I wondered what had gone on, and I said a silent prayer of thanks that mom had arranged things the way she did. I was pretty positive that someone was watching me as I slept last night, and I resented being under surveillance. However, I had bigger fish to fry, and information gathering was a large part of it. Whatever gets you out of here, Grace. 

“So,” I said, sitting down and carefully selecting the foods I saw on Shaun’s plate. “You're the director of the Institute, huh? How did that come about?”

He preened a bit, and I could see the vestiges of Nate under the icy exterior. “I was the most qualified for the position, obviously,” he said. “I've lived my life within these walls, dedicating to science like every other member of the Institute. My hard work has paid off.”

“Oh, so they don’t just promote all the kids they steal... good to know,” I said sarcastically. 

“That statement is unfair, mother,” he said, face falling slightly. ”I spent decades working to reach this point. It's a responsibility I take very seriously.” He looked at me, pleading. “The Institute... It's important. It really is humanity's best hope for the future, no matter what those above ground might think of us.”

I stabbed what looked remarkably like a strawberry, and marveled at it for a moment before popping it in my mouth. “Well, if you stopped body-snatching folks and replacing them with synths, maybe you wouldn’t have such a big PR problem, would you?”

“PR?” Shaun asked, confused. “I’m not quite sure what you mean, mother.”

“Never mind,” I said, sighing. “It would take too long to explain, and I don’t think you’d care anyway.” I munched on more food, taking a moment to collect my thoughts. Finally, I swallowed. “Why do they call you Father? Wouldn’t it just be Director? Or Shaun?”

“Calling me by my name would be... inappropriate,” he said. “As for why they call me Father, my DNA was fused with a modified virus to create the organic material from which our new synths are made. In a sense, our newest synths are all my offspring. And so they call me ‘Father’.“ He seemed quite proud of this fact. “So, if we take that to its logical conclusion, these are your children as well, mother. You are the creator of a new generation.”

“Hard pass, Shaun,” I said quickly. “Let’s not and never say we did, ok?”

“But mother,” he insisted, “this would also mean that you still do have the little boy you wanted,” he said excitedly. “It’s a new angle, if you will. Modeling the child after my younger self seemed only natural, what with Institute records on my genetics and physiology.” He took a bite of his food and stared at me hopefully. “I would hope that you would like to take a moment with him, get to know him. If in some small way the boy's presence can help you adjust to the shock...”

“So... let me get this straight,” I said, cutting him off. “You lock me up, restrain me, keep a Courser in my room to watch me, and then you try to gift me a synthetic version of the boy I’ve been searching for since I woke up?” I laughed incredulously. “And you don’t see anything wrong with this picture, Shaun?”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well, technically you didn’t wake up, mother- I set you free.”

It was as I had been tased- my fork clattered from my mouth and I stared at him, dumbfounded. “Excuse me?” 

He looked sheepish. “I looked over the records, and I found out that you were still in cryostasis. I was able to release you, and I was hoping you would find your way to us... to me,” he said softly. “And I am glad you did.”

“Thank you, I guess... but I don’t know how to feel right now,” I answered honestly. “To be honest, I feel like my life since I woke up has been a lie right now.” I twisted the ring around my finger, trying desperately to hold onto at least one of the good things that came from all this. 

“You still miss my father, I see,” Shaun said, gesturing to my ring. “Again, I am sorry for what happened to him- it was unfortunate, and my callousness yesterday was unwarranted.”

My brain was firing in a million different directions. On the one hand, I didn’t want to give Nate that much fucking credit- this was Hancock through and through, but on the other hand, I didn’t trust that they wouldn’t try to find John and use him against me. In the end, I decided everyone would be better off if I just didn’t address it at all. “Thank you for that, Shaun. I appreciate it.” 

_Please ignore it, please don’t question..._

“Of course, mother,” he said with a smile. “And to make up for my previous behavior, please take some time today to explore the facilities. The Institute is on the verge of some important breakthroughs. Your presence would be... appreciated as we approach them.“

“So... am I free to go?” I asked cautiously. “Like back to the surface?”

Shaun looked horrified. “Why would you want to do that? Mother, I assure you, the Institute can provide you a better life than anything you'd find above ground.” He leaned over and placed his hand on mine. “Please, just take some time and visit with us today- I’m sure you’ll see what I mean.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “And, as an additional measure of goodwill, I’ll send word to Doctor Li to get your Pip-Boy fitted with a relay chip- I won’t have you thinking that you are a prisoner here. That recalibration process is going to take a day or so, but it will allow you to come and go as you please. Is that ok with you, mother?”

_Great,_ I thought. _My choices are I can stay forever or I can be fitted with a tracker. This is the ultimate in goodwill right here. _

I put on a fake smile and pretended that this was the best news I had gotten in a long time. Come to think of it, it was the best news I had gotten since I arrived here, so at least there was a small nugget of truth in that somewhere. “Thank you for that, Shaun- I’ll go explore the facility at once.”

_ _

* * *

Hancock was in the old statehouse, sitting on the couch and looking miserable while Nick sat in a chair and kept an eye on him from across the room. Fahrenheit had come in when he arrived to talk to Hancock about what had happened, but it was like talking to a wall. When she looked around and saw that there was no Grace, she paused for a moment and turned to Nick, who shook his head. _Not the time_, he mouthed. 

“Hey Fahr,” he said a little too cheerily. “You mind telling Mac to come on down here? We got a few things we need to go over with him.”

“Sure thing, Nick.” She paused for a moment, debating. “Hey, did you guys read the latest issue of the rag the reporter writes? Actually pretty interesting this time, don’t you think?” She shoved a copy in Nick’s hands. “I’ll go get the merc- Mags is onstage in a few and I can snag a front-row seat.” She winked at Nick, who laughed- Hancock simply said nothing, as if he hadn’t heard a word she'd said. Nick watched the exchange, waiting for the redhead to leave before he started to read the article, and his eyes began to widen with every word. 

Once he had finished, he turned to the ghoul on the couch. “John, you can’t do this anymore,” Nick said. “Especially not here, and especially not now.” He shoved a copy of the paper into his hands. “People are looking to you right now.” 

“Huh?” Hancock asked, starting to read the article. As he continued reading, Nick could see the focus coming back to the ghoul’s face. “Wait a minute... Wright wrote this?”

Nick nodded. “Came out after we left for Sanctuary.” The detective smiled. “Looks like you got an ally, John. Wouldn’t go as far as to say friend, but the girl ain’t your enemy, it seems.” He laughed and crossed the room, sitting next to the man on the couch. “So that means people gotta see the old John when you go out there... Ain’t gonna do for them to see you moping around like you lost your best friend.”

“But Nick,” he said hoarsely, “I did lose my best friend- how am I supposed to feel?”

The detective shook his head. “You didn’t lose her- she’s just off doing her own thing, and you gotta do yours. And right now,” he said, patting Hancock’s leg, “that means being the mayor that got Piper to give you some public credit, not the lovesick puppy that’s hiding inside all day- you got that?”

Hancock sighed, taking a hit of Jet. “So... it’s time to fake it, huh?” Nick frowned as Hancock took the container, but he didn’t say anything- if taking a hit stopped the man from looking like he was going to burst into tears at the slightest provocation, he’d give Hancock a stockpile of chems right now. “Guess I better call a meeting, let ‘em know their mayor is back and ready to take on the world for ‘em, right?”

“You good to do that, John?” Nick asked warily.

“May as well,” he said, standing up and brushing off his coat. “I am but a humble public servant,” he intoned with a small grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Time to give the people what they want.”

_ _

* * *

After breakfast was over, Shaun summarily dismissed me, and considering I had no plans of staying here any longer than I had to, I figured I better spend the day exploring. I only had two phone calls left, so I wanted to use them wisely and have details to share when I talked to Hancock. Since the first order of business was being able to get the hell out of here, that meant I had to pay a visit to Doctor Li. I wasn’t feeling being put on an electronic leash, but Shaun had called my bluff, and now I was stuck- if I wanted out, it was his way or no way. _Goddamn it_, I thought,_ I really don’t like my son right now_.

Dejected, I found my way to Doctor Li in the advanced systems department. She was hunched over a terminal when I walked in and didn’t look up as I approached. “Can I help you?” She asked in a clipped tone. “I’m rather busy at the moment.”

Her tone worked what was left of my nerves, and I didn't have the wherewithal to hide my irritation. “Well I’m rather trapped at the moment, but hey, you do you, lady,” I snapped. “I was told that you could assist me with getting a chip to get in and out of here.”

Finally, she turned to look at me, the corners of her lips turned up into a slight smile. “You’re not from here, that’s for sure. Are you the vault resident that the director ordered released?”

“I would be Shaun’s mother, yes," I said with a grimace. "I was told you could help me with a relay chip”. I decided to press onward and hope she might be able to assist me further- since she wasn't outwardly hostile, I figured talking to her was worth a shot. “And some information, if you have it.”

Her eyebrows raised. “Interesting,” she said. “Well, this is the Institute- all we have is information.” She turned to me with a curious expression. “What’s your name, anyway?”

“Grace,” I said, extending my hand to her. “And I’d be happy to get any information that isn’t from the propaganda machine that is apparently my son.”

“You are... not what I was expecting,” she said, shaking my hand. “My name is Madison... nice to meet you, Grace. I find it refreshing to hear someone with their own mind nowadays- it doesn’t happen often around here.“ Doctor Li extended her hand and smiled. “Leave me your Pip-Boy, Grace- I’ll get the relay set up for you.”

I bit my lip, hesitating. I needed help, but I didn’t know if I could trust her. But, I was out of options, and the worst she was going to do was tell on me to Shaun, which is what I’d expect her to do anyway. _Screw it- nothing ventured, nothing gained._ “Doctor Li, I have a question for you, if you don’t mind.” She looked at me quizzically and I continued, determined to at least try. “Is there any way to have a relay chip that doesn’t track where I am at any given moment? I’m going to be honest, I don’t trust everything about the Institute just yet.” 

“That’s a pretty bold move, asking me that,” she said with a smirk. “Who’s to say I won't tell the director at the first opportunity?”

I shrugged. “Just reading you, I guess. I figured if you didn’t get all ‘hail Institute’ when I wasn’t throwing myself at Shaun’s feet, I might have a shot.”

The doctor let out the first genuine laugh I’d heard since I arrived. “No, I definitely don’t fall into that camp. I believe in science, not blind faith. But, in the interest of due diligence, I have to ask- are you planning on doing something nefarious I need to know about?” 

I stared her right in the eyes, wanting her to see that I wasn’t lying to her. “Nope, but I have friends that I need to keep safe, and something tells me that Shaun might not agree with it,” I said nervously. “One of them helped me get in, and he asked me to find something for him that he left here. I don’t want anyone else tracking him down on account of me.”

Doctor Li fixed me with a hard stare. “And who would that friend be, Grace?”

I bit my lip again. “Brian Virgil,” I said quietly. “He sent me to get his serum.”

Her eyes widened and she looked around nervously. “I’m going to need you to come with me, quickly," she said, gesturing me towards a back room. "I think we have to have a chat.”

_ _

* * *

  
Hancock sat on the balcony, watching the people disperse after his impromptu press conference. Nick was right- people were clamoring to hear from him after Piper’s article, and he was only too happy to give them what they wanted. The people wanted hope? Fine, he’d give them hope. He was their mayor- it was the least he could do. 

When most of the crowd had left, he went downstairs, hoping to take a moment to himself. Instead, he found an impatient Doctor Amari, tapping her foot at him from the doorway. 

“Good, you’re back,” she said hurriedly. “Where is Grace?”

And there it was, the one topic he wasn’t in a rush to confront. “Not here, Doc. Don’t know when she’s coming back yet.” Hancock tried to keep the dejection out of his voice, but he was sure she could tell how he was feeling.

The doctor frowned and then noticed the band on his hand. “That’s new,” she remarked. “Did you get married while you were out?”

“Damn close,” he said. “What’s got you in such a mood?” Hancock peered at the doctor suspiciously. “Ain’t like you to make house calls- everything all right?”

“Depends how you want to look at it,” Amari said carefully. “Care to take a walk with me, Mayor?”

—  
After speaking with Amari, Hancock walked back into the statehouse and found Nick and MacCready waiting for him. He let out a soft sigh and fingered the phone in his pocket again- seeing them there made it real, meant that he had to speak the words he hated to hear out loud one more time. He turned to the merc, who was sitting on the couch watching him carefully. “Mac,” he said tightly, “How much do you know?”

“Next to nothin’, mayor,” the kid said, shrugging. “All I know is that Fahr said I needed to get her, and when I got here, Nick said I had to talk to you... alone. So what gives?”

Hancock walked over to his bar and started pouring drinks. Mac tried to wave him off, but Hancock was having none of it. “Trust me, kid, you’re gonna want this plus a few more by the time I’m finished,” he said as he thrust the glass into MacCready’s unwilling hands. “I ain’t one for wasting words, kid- they have her. Grace is stuck inside the Institute and her boy ain’t what she thought he was.”

MacCready let out a laugh. “Ha! Seriously, mayor, what the heck are you playing at? There’s no way you’d still be sitting here if Princess was in trouble, so what gives?” 

“He’s not joking, kid,” Nick said quietly. “Gracie’s mom pulled some hocus pocus and allowed her to get a message to John. She’s stuck there, kid. We brought you over cause we thought you should know-“

“Then what the fu-he-heck are we doing sitting here? How are you just sitting in town giving speeches like nothing’s wrong? That’s your girl, Hancock! That’s my sister!” His voice wobbled. “We gotta get her back, man.” Hancock placed a hand on his shoulder, but the kid jerked away. “No!” MacCready yelled. “You don’t get to just pretend like nothing’s wrong! She could- they could be-“ he got up and slammed his hand against the wall. “Arrgghh!” 

“I brought you here for two reasons, kid,” Hancock said finally. “One is you need to know- I think you love her just as much as I do, which should make me want to kick your ass, but it doesn’t,” he said with a smile. “Second, she’s gonna call back, and her mom said to make sure you guys were around when she does.”

MacCready looked incredulous. “How is that even possible?“

“I’ve stopped asking what was possible long ago- I just go with the flow,” Hancock said. “And right now, all I can do is wait. Trust me, it ain’t any easier on this side, kid.”

Just then Hancock felt a vibration on his side and scrambled to grab the phone out of his pocket. He saw her face appear on the screen, and he pressed the green button, feeling his heart beating rapidly as her voice hit his ears. “John,” she said. “Are you there?”

“Always, Sunshine,” he said, choking back a sob. “I thought I was going crazy... I didn’t know if I’d hear from you again.”

He could hear her smiling at him through the phone. “I’m coming home, John,” she said. “It’s gonna take a few days, but I found a way out of here.”

“Thank god,” he said. “I‘m going outta my mind over here.” Hancock looked around the room at the two expectant faces staring at him, open-mouthed. “Um, Nick and the kid are here, but they can’t hear you.”

“Then put them on speaker- wait... I got an idea,” she said. “Fuck it, this is my dream, we’re doing this my way. Hold the phone in front of your face, John.”

He was confused since he was pretty sure this was not how phones worked, but he did as he was told. Just as he was about to question what she was doing, he saw her face appear on the screen and he almost dropped the phone. “Holy shit, Sunshine- what did you do?” 

She smirked and he could see that smile of hers- just like that, she was right in front of him again. Mac and Nick raced over, and she put her hand to her mouth, tears streaming down her face. “Oh my god, it’s my boys! Hi guys!” She smiled at them and waved- they obediently waved back, stunned. “I’ve missed you all so much!”

“We miss you too, Gracie,” Nick said. “How do we get you out of there?”

She shook her head. “You don’t. There’s no way in or out without these chips, and I’m getting one put into that Pip-Boy of mine, but it’s gonna take a few days. Turns out the doctor who installs them was friends with our boy Virgil, John.”

“Small world,” Hancock said dryly. “Seems like you’re not locked up anymore, at least.”

She shook her head, curls whipping around her face. “Nope, I got full reign. I’m pretty sure I’m being watched, though. Doctor Li helped me stay hidden while I went searching for that serum Virgil wanted.” She waggled a vial in his face. “I got it.” Her face darkened. “But I figured out why Virgil ran away... I found out why they take people, John.”

Hancock had a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. “What are they doing with ‘em?“

She bit her lip, and he knew it wasn’t good. “Turning them into Super Mutants, John. They use them to test the FEV virus, and send out synths so people don’t notice.” She looked down and he could see she was debating on whether to tell him something. She kept her eyes downward, and he wanted nothing more than to be by her side and hold her right then. “It’s... it’s your brother, John. He... was on one of the lists I found.” 

He felt himself reel at the news, but he swallowed and tried to move past it. “Hey, we can deal with that later,” he said, trying to reassure her. “The most important thing is that you stay safe, Sunshine.” 

Just then, MacCready leaned into the frame, peering at Grace. “Hey, Princess,” he said. “Just say the word and we’ll be wherever you need us.”

Tears welled in Grace’s eyes. “Isn’t it past your bedtime?” She laughed and so did the merc. “But anyway,” she said, wiping her face, “I think she’s got a way for me to get out of here without them tracing where I am, but it’s gonna take a little time. I don’t trust him, guys. He’s definitely his father’s kid- when he believes something, there’s no changing his mind. I’m scared if he finds you guys, something bad is gonna happen, and I can’t take that risk.” 

Just then, they heard a beep on the line. “Time is almost up... please finish your call before the connection terminates in two minutes.”

He found himself willing time to go slower so he could have a few more moments with her, but he knew it was pointless. Running her fingers through her hair, Grace groaned. “God, I don’t want to go, guys. I don’t want to leave you...”

Nick thrust his face into the frame, moving MacCready out of the way- the merc glared at him but let him stay. “I’m glad you’re ok, Gracie. Keep your chin up- we’re here for you, all right?” The detective turned to the kid. “C’mon, let’s give them that last minute,” he said, pulling MacCready out of the room. “We’ll be outside when you’re done, John.”

Hancock nodded and turned his attention to her face on the screen. “Sunshine, I want you home with me,” he whispered. “What can I do?”

“Love me,” she said to him. “That’s all you can do right now.” She traced the screen with her fingers and Hancock sighed, closing his eyes and imagining her fingers were running across his face. “I love you so much, John- I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you.” 

He touched his hand to the image of her cheek. “I love you too, Sunshine.” 

She smiled at him and he started to say something else, but the connection winked out, leaving Hancock alone once again. 

_ _

* * *

I was not in a good mood in the morning, and it was made worse by the visage of X6 standing in my doorway again, holding a folded jumpsuit in his arms. “Fuck are you doing here,” I spat. “I thought I was released from constant guard duty?” 

X6 ignored the venom in my tone. “Father wishes to see you once you have gotten ready. I have taken the liberty of procuring you new garments, as your previous ones are...“ he paused and gestured to the tattered clothing heap, “not suitable.”

“Yeah, well that’s the fault of that nasty security system,” I said with a cheeky grin. “It shouldn’t have tried to shoot at me. It was a shame, really- I felt we could’ve been friends. Oh well, guess it’s just you and me, X6.”

X6 frowned. “Your attempts at humor to deflect blame are transparent, ma’am. The fact remains that you could have been killed, and Father would have been very disappointed. He saw you come back to your quarters in disarray, and was quite concerned about your well-being.”

I put my hands on my hips, glaring at the synth. “Isn’t that sweet- I’d hate for something to have happened to the backup,” I said sarcastically. I was not in the mood for these false platitudes, and though it wasn't his fault, he was bearing the brunt of my anger. 

“I am unsure, but something tells me that you are mocking Father’s concern, ma’am,” X6 said, missing all the nuance of my tone. “I assure you, his feelings are genuine. In fact, I detected elevated-“

“Just shut up, please,” I said wearily. “This is a conversation I don’t want to have with you, of all people.”

“But I am not people, ma’am,” X6 said matter of factly. “I’m afraid your statement is incorrect.” 

“Oh X6,” I said, patting him on the cheek as I took the clothes from his arms. ”That’s the crux of the problem right there.” He stared at me as headed towards the bathroom, and waited for me to make myself presentable. Once I had gotten dressed, I was escorted back to Shaun’s quarters, and just as before, I sat down at the table. This time, however, Shaun was glowering at me from the other end.

Shaun didn’t mince words. “Mother, what were you thinking? We were notified of the old security systems coming back online, and then I noticed you coming back to your quarters in a rather bedraggled state. What could possibly have possessed you to go down there?”

“I just wanted to know what was going on. I met someone on my travels near Jamaica Plain who knew Brian Virgil,” I said, trying to give my story an air of truth. ”They mentioned he used to work here, and I wanted to find out more,” I said. “I was curious.” 

_Take the bait... please take the bait..._

Shaun raised his eyebrows and called X6 over to his side. He leaned down and whispered something to the synth, who nodded, disappearing in a flash of light. “Thank you for your honesty, Mother- it is appreciated. But in the future it would be advisable for you to not to go wandering into restricted areas- it is not safe.” 

I tried very hard to not let the relief show on my face, so I looked down and continued to eat instead. “Understood, but I have to ask- why do you care? You said yourself that you aren’t used to emotions, and I’m just a backup DNA pool for you. So, why do you care if I get blown to bits?”

“Because-“ he started to say something, but he paused. “Never mind- it is not important.”

“Seems like it is,” I pressed. “You seem a little too eager to have me buy into what you have here, and now after all this time, you’re concerned about my welfare, when you damn sure weren’t concerned when I was a frozen popsicle. So what gives, Shaun? Why now?” I studied his face, but Shaun was as expressive as a statue.

He eyed me coldly. “The records show that you were trained in legal doctrine prior to the conflict... I can see why you might obtain such a career, Mother. You are quite persistent when something is of interest to you.”

“And you’re deflecting,” I retorted. “Answer the question or I’m finding Doctor Li and leaving,” I said, crossing my arms. 

“You can’t!” Shaun screeched, banging on the table and showing emotion for the first time since I met him. Then he caught himself, smoothing his hands on his pants and rubbing his hands through his hair. “I... apologize- that was uncalled for.”

I raised my eyebrow at him. “Apology accepted. However,” I noted, “It doesn’t change the fact that I need you to tell me the truth, Shaun. Something’s going on with you. Plus,” I said with a grin, “you have the same look your dad used to have when he was trying to hide something. It’s a dead giveaway.”

He chuckled and sat back in his seat. “It is gratifying to know that I share some of my father’s similarities, though I am finding it difficult to ascertain any shared traits you and I may share, Mother.” 

“Same,” I said with a smile. “So, what gives? Why the interest in me and my welfare all of a sudden?”

“In due time,” he said, and I could see I was going to get nothing else from him on the matter. “In the meanwhile, it appears that Doctor Li is finishing with your Pip-Boy. I’d like you to go see her and get your device- if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to send you and X6 out on a mission so you can see firsthand what happens when those surface hooligans meddle in science they know nothing about.” 

_ _

* * *

Hancock and Fahr were relaxing in a booth and listening to Magnolia when Deacon came bursting into the Third Rail. Nick and MacCready were at a nearby table, playing a game of cards with Kent, but looked up when the spy came thundering over to the mayor. 

“What the fuck is she doing, Hancock?” Deacon thundered, grabbing the ghoul by the collar. “Did you know about this?” 

“Get your hands off me, Deacon,” Hancock said mildly, gently pushing the spy’s hands away from his clothes. “Sunshine ain’t here to save you, and I don’t take too kindly to people threatening me in my house.”

The spy fumed and slammed his fists on the table, earning him a wicked stare from Fahr- her fingers were hovering dangerously at her side, but Hancock imperceptibly shook his head. “She was just spotted with a Courser, Hancock!”

Hancock, however, only heard part of what he was saying. “They saw her? Where?” The ghoul stood up, and Mac and Nick followed suit- his hand reached to his pocket to see if he could feel that telltale buzz, but nothing happened and he returned his focus to the spy. “Bring your ass over here,” he said to Deacon, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him towards the back of the bar. “And don’t you ever fucking grab me again unless you fancy getting those hands reattached.”

When they entered the VIP room the bar was quiet for a few minutes, waiting to see if there was going to be screaming or gunfire- when nothing happened, the conversations gradually resumed. Hancock shoved Deacon into a chair, and Mac and Nick held him down on either side. The ghoul began to pace in front of the spy, clearly agitated and brimming with manic energy at his arrival and accusation. “Ok, start talking, Deacon- where the hell is Sunshine?”

Deacon glared. “I just fucking told you! She was spotted grabbing a synth around Nahant Wharf, off the old Libertalia. Turns out one of our rescues went Raider, and they went to snatch him back. We had folks keeping an eye on him cause we were trying to bring him in, but to my surprise, we get a message from one of our people saying they saw a girl with brown hair and green eyes with the courser, Hancock,” Deacon snarled. “That sound like anyone we know?”

Hancock was only half listening to him at that point. “She still there? How long has it been?” 

Deacon huffed. “Do you think if she was still there I’d be here having this conversation with you right now? Hell no- she disappeared with the Courser and the synth in a flash of blue light... anyone care to tell me when Grace picked up that nifty ability?”

The three men exchanged a look over Deacon’s head. The spy caught them staring at each other, and started to struggle even harder in the chair. “What is it? What the fuck do you assholes know?”

“Well, we do know something, but we cant tell you about it here. Too many ears,” Hancock said quietly. “But first, we gotta get you outta here- you disrespected the shit out of me on my home turf, which ain’t gonna fly. So,” he said, grinning wickedly, “I gotta pay you back.” He shrugged with feigned indifference. "Nothing personal, you understand?" Hancock turned to MacCready, eyes shining. “Hey, you have an extra Stimpak hanging around back here, kid?”

“Yeah, I do...” MacCready said nervously, glancing back and forth between Hancock and Deacon. “Mayor, what are you about to do?” 

“Not too much,” Hancock said cheerily. “But the spy ain’t gonna be able to use that arm for a minute.”

For the first time since Grace left, he was finally about to have a bit of fun.  
—

Fifteen minutes later, Deacon was on the couch with an ice pack to his head and his arm draped loosely across his chest, glaring daggers at the ghoul. On the other hand, Hancock was as happy as he’d been in days- stabbing Deacon and knocking him about the bar had been the most satisfying thing he’d done in days. Secretly, he’d shot him with the stimpak right away, but the spy was still gonna feel that beating for a minute. 

Hancock offered Deacon a drink in apology, then made one for himself. “Now that we got all that settled, I think we got some news to share with you. Been trying to find the best way to tell you, but I think we’re past that point already.”

MacCready rolled his eyes. “Enough of this, mayor.” He turned to the spy. “Look, Princess got captured by the Institute, Deacon. She’s doing what she has to in order to get out of there. Looks like she finally got them to trust her enough to let her back out into the world.”

“But she’s working with them!” Deacon howled. “She’s going against everything we stand for!”

“Oh shut the fuck up, Deacon,” Hancock said tersely. “She’s been chained up for the last few days and she’s doing what she can to pass us messages about what’s happening in there.“

Nick shot Hancock a look. “John,” he said warningly. “I think you’re talking too much,” he said cautiously. “I’d consider who you’re telling before you say anymore.”

Deacon looked back and forth between Nick and Hancock. “What the hell is going on? Look, all I know is it doesn’t look good, guys. It looks like she’s working with the Institute, and if someone catches her...” He trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish the sentence- they all understood what he meant. 

“Crap,” MacCready said, sitting down on the couch. “We gotta get her out, mayor.” 

Hancock sighed. “You’re right. Time to work out a plan.” He turned to Deacon. “Look, I promise, I will tell you as much as I can when I can. But can you please just hang out in the Memory Den till one of us comes to get you?”

“I think I want to hear this conversation,” Deacon said, crossing his arms. “Contrary to popular belief, I like the girl- I don’t want to see her get hurt on account of a misunderstanding. However, I don’t think my associates are going to be as open-minded as I am if word of this gets out, guys.” 

Hancock sighed. One call left, he thought. “For once, can you just do as we ask? I give you my word as mayor, I will tell you everything I can as soon as possible, but I need you to leave... right now.”

Deacon glared at the mayor. “Fuck that,” he said. “Tell me now.”

And with that, the phone started to ring. 

_ _

* * *

“John,” I said, heart thumping in my chest as his face appeared on the screen. “Can you hear me?” 

“I’m here, Sunshine,” Hancock said, face coming into view. “What’s going on over there?" He frowned. "I got the spy barging into the bar talking about you’re hanging around with coursers?” 

I winced- he was right, but I couldn’t go into that right now. “I don’t have a lot of time, John,” I said breathlessly. “You gotta get a message to the Railroad... right now.” 

“Lucky for you I’m here then, isn’t it,” said a voice in the background. “What does the lady running around capturing synths want to share?” His mirrored sunglasses hid his eyes, but his lopsided smile gave away his surprise at seeing me.

“Deacon!“ I yelled, clapping my hands to my mouth as his face came into view. “Oh my god, I can’t believe that I’ve actually missed you!” Then I remembered the reason I needed to talk to him, and I shook my head, trying to keep things straight. “Guys, this is important- we gotta act fast.” 

“What’s going on, Sunshine? You ok?” Hancock asked, expression unchanged. “What are they making you do over there?”

“No time for that,” I said quickly. “Guys,” I said nervously, “The Institute is trying to destroy the Railroad.” I turned to stare at the spy. "You gotta warn Desdemona- the leader of the Institute is sending out a raid on Bunker Hill tomorrow... and they’re taking me with them to do it.”


	28. Bunker down for a fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The railroad learns of Shaun’s orders and the misfits try to save the people at Bunker Hill

_ _

* * *

“Holy shit,” Deacon said. “They’re coming after Bunker Hill?” 

“She wouldn’t lie, Deacon,” Nick said solemnly. “If she’s warning us, you better warn your pals.” Then, the detective turned to Hancock and MacCready, face grim. “And we better get there to snatch her back.” 

MacCready pumped his fists. “Now _that’s_ what I’m talkin’ about!” The kid's response was greeted with silence- he looked out the three angry faces staring at him and he grinned. “Sorry, but I’m ready to get her out of there. You get it,” he said, gesturing to Hancock. “I’m surprised you aren’t already halfway there by now.”

“When you’re right, you’re right, kid,” Hancock said with a smile. “Deacon, what do you think? Can you haul your skinny ass over to your people and get the word out? If they ask, tell them Sunshine sent us a message letting us know it was about to go down, and we got in contact with you?“

“Trying to protect your secret?” Deacon asked, staring at the ghoul intently and gesturing to the phone. “I swear, that little conversation was amazing- think of what we could do-“ 

“Focus, spy,” Hancock said, trying to change the subject- there was no way in hell he was letting Deacon get his hands on her phone. “It ain’t gonna work again, so let’s get to work, all right?” 

Deacon frowned, clearly displeased at this turn of events. “Damn shame.” Hancock’s hand clenched around the device tightly in his pocket- he was well aware that the spy was eyeing the phone and trying to figure out how he could take it. After a moment of staring at each other, Deacon sighed, beaten for the time being. “Fine- I’ll get word to Dez and meet you guys over there. Make sure when you get there you use the passphrase so they know you’re on our side.”

“We’re not on anyone’s side,” Hancock hissed. “I’m there to rescue my wife- that’s it.”

“Hate to break it to you, but I don't think the Institute is gonna care too much about your neutrality, Mayor." Deacon sighed. "And if you don’t want your ass accidentally handed to you and yours by the Railroad, you might want to get in with us.” 

Hancock bristled, but Nick put a hand on his shoulder and turned to Deacon. “Good to know, since we’re heading out now- we’ll meet you there.” The detective shot Hancock a look. "We’re going to need all the help we can get, Deacon- what's the passphrase?"

Deacon looked at Nick, ignoring Hancock for the moment. “If you get there and shit hasn’t already hit the fan, ask for Old Man Stockton. If someone asks ‘do you have a Geiger Counter’, be sure to reply with ‘yes, but mine is in the shop.’ That’ll tell them you’re with us.” Nick nodded and the spy ran off into the night.

Once the spy was out of sight, Hancock turned and faced the others. “Well, y’all ready to go get our girl back? I don’t know about you, but I’m itching to get the hell out of here.” Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he frowned in consternation. “Fuck me sideways,” he muttered, shaking his head. “She knew... goddamn it, she _knew_.”

“What now?” Nick asked. “What are we missing?” Nick looked at him with confusion. “I can’t say you’re making a lot of sense right now, John. By the way,” he said, motioning to Hancock’s pocket. “Might want to leave that here... especially since the spy’s got eyes on it now.”

“Her mom... she told us we had two days, two more phone calls, and she made it a point to tell me to be here. Her mom _knew_ what was coming... she knew _everything _and she let it go down like this,” Hancock huffed, getting up to throw the phone in a nearby safe. “Dunno why she didn’t just say it or let us grab her from that damn Courser as soon as they let her out-“

Nick thought about it for a moment. “I get it- I wish we'd known earlier, too. But if we pulled her out before this, then the Railroad would’ve been screwed, John. Gracie only found out what was going on after that mission, remember?” Nick clapped the ghoul on the back. “Look, I want her back just as much as you do, but I’m also not too keen on letting the institute blow up a town, either. So let’s get prepped and head over there to plan this out, huh?”  
  


_ _

* * *

My nerves were shot and I felt ready to puke when I woke up the following morning. This was it- I was out of phone calls and I was now certain that my Pip-Boy could get me out of the Institute. No matter what, I was leaving this place today. However, this was not what I wanted- all I wanted to do was leave, not be involved in mass murder. Ever since I got here, things had gone wrong in more ways than I could count- all I wanted was to get out of this place and be with my friends again.

_And what about your kid, Grace?_

That was the question I’d been pondering since I had arrived, trying to find a decent answer and constantly coming up empty. There was no question about him being my son- I could see so much of Nate in Shaun that it hurt to look at him sometimes. But the fact remained that he was pretty much a sociopath- he was willing to do whatever he felt was necessary to advance his precious Institute, and I could not get the man to see reason. While we were having dinner, I’d asked him about ghouls- he had grimaced, calling them ‘mistakes’- he went on to say they’d never have a place in the Institute, which cemented my decision to not mention Hancock.

Plus, I was pissed off beyond belief when he asked me to destroy the Railroad. I couldn't believe how callous he was- it took everything I had to not teleport out of there. While every cell in my body was screaming at me to leave, I knew if I did, Shaun would know I was going right off to warn the Railroad of what he was planning. No, better to play it smart- _use the tools you got to get what you want_, mom used to tell me. I’d use the fact they were spying on me in here to my advantage- if I was in my room asleep, there was no way I was talking to anyone, right? So instead of leaving, I smashed the dishes on the table and stormed off to my room, flinging myself on the bed to cry myself to sleep. 

Trying to get myself together, I got up and just as I suspected, X6 was waiting for me in the doorway. _I knew it,_ I thought. _Free reign my ass_. “What, no greeting, X6?” I said wearily. “I thought we were friends?” 

As usual, the Courser stared at me impassively, waiting for me to get ready. “This conduct you exude is unbecoming a future leader, ma’am. You should learn to conduct yourself in a manner that is befitting someone of your stature.”

“I’m a lawyer from Jersey- my manner fits my stature just fine, X6,” I retorted. “And I’m the leader of the Minutemen, so I’m afraid my quota for unwanted responsibility is full up- I’ve got enough on my plate, thank you very much.”

X6 ignored me, as usual. “Those pursuits are trivial, ma’am. You have the potential to do great things here- Father says so.”

“Oh if Father says it, it _must_ be true,” I said mockingly. “How could I ever go against such wisdom bestowed from a man who’s lived his entire life underground being a radical bigot?” 

“I detect hostility in your tone, ma’am, and I am uncomfortable with the irrational anger you are displaying,” X6 said mildly. “Father has been nothing but conciliatory to you during your stay, so this irritation you are displaying is unwarranted.” 

“Father can kiss my ass- He’s issuing orders that are going to get a bunch of innocent people killed,” I said bitterly as I flopped on a chair and crossed my arms. “In fact, they’re your people- how can you be like this?”

Against all odds, I think I had finally succeeded in exasperating the synth. “I feel I must inform you once again that despite our appearance, we are not people, ma’am,” X6 said. “It is gratifying that you think of us as such, but the fact remains that we are not and never will be people. We are the property of the Institute and nothing more- you would do well to disabuse yourself of notions to the contrary.”

“Fuck that,” I said, hugging myself and wishing more than ever that Nick was here to tell me everything would be okay. “One of my best friends out there is a synth and he’s one of the greatest men I’ve ever met, so don’t give me that 'synths aren't people' bullshit- he loves me just as much as I love him.” 

X6 raised an eyebrow. “Then it sounds like this synth needs to come in for reprogramming, ma’am.”

I felt my face flushing with rage- my hands curled into fists at my side and I narrowed my eyes at the Courser. “If you even think about it, I will blow you apart where you stand, X6,” I snarled. “And go ahead and tell me what you detect in my tone when I tell you that.”

“It would appear that you are serious, ma’am,” he said with mild interest. “Though you are undoubtedly aware of my physical superiority, you would try to overpower me for the sake of a machine.” He looked me over and shook his head. “You are perplexing, ma’am.”

I shrugged, trying to calm down- it wouldn't do to go off on this mission all wound up. “I’ve been called worse." I stood up, running my fingers through my hair. "C'mon- let’s get this dog and pony show over and done with.”  
  


_ _

* * *

Bunker Hill was not the most welcoming settlement Hancock ever been in, that was for sure- this had to be the first time in history Hancock was unhappy to be in a bar. He sat at a table with Nick and MacCready, waiting for Kessler to talk with them. As he waited, he made a mental note to thank Piper when he saw her again- despite the few that were being assholes, some people came up to him and told him thanks, which was highly unexpected. While he wasn't in a rush to see Kessler again, he also wanted her to hurry up- some of the locals who weren't as impressed by Piper's writing were giving him dirty looks, and he was trying his best to not lose his patience with them. Hancock had to constantly remind himself that this was all for Grace, which made it a little easier to not cold-cock the idiot that thought it was a good idea to spit at him.

Though he wasn't going to dignify the slight with a response, Hancock couldn’t help it if his foot shot out and tripped the bastard, could he?

When the guy went sprawling, Nick glared at Hancock, who shrugged innocently. The man growled and started to approach the ghoul, but Hancock just smiled and flipped his coattail to reveal the large combat knife at his hip. Reconsidering his next move, the man stormed away, muttering something about ‘fucking ghouls stinking up the place’ and headed off to the bar to get a drink.

“Making friends already, I see,” a female voice said. Hancock turned to see Kessler standing above him, hands on her hips. It had been a while since Hancock had seen her and a flush crept up his face as he remembered the last time he saw her. He’d always known his past would catch up with him one way or another- you couldn't do as much shit as he had and not expect to have it come back someday. However, he was highly unprepared to deal with it while he was trying to save his wife from the clutches of the Institute- karma was a fickle bitch. "I heard the reports, but never did I expect to see Hancock in my town."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and he flinched- Kessler's lips turned down slightly. “Kessler,” he said, trying to avoid eye contact with the woman standing over him and gesturing to the seat farthest away from him, "Sit down- we gotta talk to you.” 

Kessler laughed, patting Hancock's cheek. “Oh Hancock, I’m an old woman now- I don’t have time for these games,” she said playfully, sitting across from Hancock and giving him a clear view of her chest. Nick raised an eyebrow and MacCready stared at him, but Hancock ignored them for the moment. “Been a long time, Mayor- what’s so important that you’d roll on up into my settlement at this hour?”

“Hate to be the one to tell you this, but the Institute’s coming,” Hancock said, ignoring her attempts to flirt with him. “The railroad’s coming to protect theirs, but it looks like there’s gonna be a ruckus out here, so you need to get your people hidden and keep ‘em safe. Figured I owed you that much.” Hancock used the hand containing his wedding band to bring his glass up to his lips, making sure she could see the metal glinting in the light. “No angles here- I’m here for my wife... that’s all.” 

Kessler let out a hoot and slapped the table. “Well doesn’t that beat all! Someone got the great John Hancock to keep it in his pants? Will wonders never cease?” She squeezed his shoulder and traced her fingers along his collarbone, making him wince. "Guess that old rag was right about you this time, huh?” Kessler smirked. "Married huh? Never thought I’d see the day- she’s a lucky girl,” she said wistfully. 

“I’m the lucky one,” he replied. “But I ain’t interested in seeing innocent folk get caught in the crossfire out here. You got somewhere they can be?” 

“I appreciate the heads up- I’ll handle it,” she said decisively.“You know when this is supposed to go down?” 

Hancock shook his head. “Tomorrow sometime- that’s all I was able to get. Thought I should make my way over here quick as I could, seeing as it wasn’t exactly a social call.” He looked at the woman. "You be safe out there, all right?”

She nodded. "Always am, Hancock- you don't have to worry about me." She smiled at the group and waved as she walked off, leaving Hancock to sip his drink as his companions tried to bore holes in his skull with their eyes.

MacCready turned to the ghoul. “Um, you care to share what that was about, Mayor?” He folded his arms, glaring at Hancock. “Looks to me like you two had something going on- how’d that look to you, Nick?”

Nick nodded in agreement. “I’d say I’d agree with that assessment, kid. Seems like those two definitely had something going on and I think I’d like to know what’s up before we meet with Gracie." He turned to the kid and shook his head. "I would like to avoid her trying to claw the woman’s eyes out... you know she'd do it, John.”

“Nothing to tell- it was a long time ago,” Hancock said, taking a sip of his drink. “Me and Kessler ain’t something I'm trying to repeat.” 

“Make sure it stays that way,” MacCready warned. “Don’t be a fu-screw up, Mayor.”

"Even I'm not that stupid,” Hancock said dejectedly as he looked into their faces. “Trust me on this one, kid- I got way too much to lose to fuck up now."

_ _

* * *

“Good morning, Mother,” Shaun said. “Are you feeling better this morning?” He smiled at me, but this routine was wearing on my nerves, fast. It was a horrible facsimile of what one would consider a family breakfast, only in this case, one of the family members were being politely held hostage by the other. The only benefit to our little chats was the fact that there was food that I didn’t incinerate.

Trying to hide my intentions, I put on a fake smile. “Thank you for asking, Shaun. Though I must admit, I’m still not comfortable with this plan of yours- is there any way we can handle this differently? There are people up there-“

He waved dismissively. “Pshh, they’re nothing but common rabble if they’re siding with the Railroad. We don’t need people like that, Mother. You’ll see,” he said, patting my hand. “It’ll be much better when we can get everyone organized... we can show them what a society should be.”

“So... you eliminate anyone who disagrees with you?” I was aghast. “This sounds like Nazi Germany, Shaun.”

“I’m afraid I don’t get your reference, Mother,” he said slowly, “but if the point was to show a group willing to do what was necessary for the greater good, then I will accept the comparison.” He looked back down to his food while I tried my damndest not to cry. “I need you and X4-18 to handle that situation at Bunker Hill today, Mother.” I sighed- try as I might, there was no reasoning with him. He stood as I rose to exit the room, and impulsively, I went over and hugged him. It was the first time I had made real physical contact with him since I arrived, and he wasn’t expecting it. He let out a surprised gasp and stood stock still as I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his chest, letting out loud, hiccuping sobs. His arms flailed at his sides for a moment before I felt his arms close around me, finally returning my hug and patting my back. 

“Mother,” he said quietly, “what’s wrong? Why are you upset?” 

“The fact that you don’t know makes this worse, Shaun,” I said between tears. “I’m so sorry- I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. You should have never turned out like this.”

He patted my back and I could hear the smile in his voice. “But Mother, I am fine. There is no reason for you to be this upset- I understand-“

“No, Shaun, you don’t understand,” I said. “That’s the problem. You see equations, you see numbers, but you don’t see people. And that’s my fault,” I whispered. “I should have been there to show you love, compassion, and friendship, but I wasn’t... It’s my fault you’re like this.”

He shook his head. “Don’t take the blame for things you can’t control. I am sorry that Kellogg stole me from you- I wish he had brought us all here. But these are past things, and we cannot change them. I-“ His voice broke off, and I heard one of his rare showings of emotion. “I am just glad that I have gotten to meet you before I pass on.”

I pulled back from him, astonished. “What did you just say?” I asked, wiping my face. 

Shaun sighed. “I guess it’s just as well you find out now, Mother. I have a rather aggressive form of cancer, and I do not expect to live much longer.” My face twisted in shock, and he smiled at me. “It is all right- I am not in any pain. I have made my peace with this long ago,” he said sadly. 

“That’s why you released me, isn’t it?” I asked softly. “You... wanted to see me before you died?” 

“I want you to take over my work here, yes,” he said. “Who better to serve after the father than the mother?”

I noticed he didn’t answer my question, but I decided to ignore it. “I... have some things to do before I head out. Is it... do you mind if I take my leave now?”

He waved a hand to me as if we had just been discussing what to have for dinner, not his impending death. “Go, get ready. Bring our property home and we can continue this conversation later.” He awkwardly patted me on my shoulder and started to walk out of the room. “Safe travels, Mother.”

After leaving his quarters, I stormed down to the advanced systems department, where Doctor Li was working on something. She jumped as I slammed my hands on her desk, her papers scattering about in multiple directions. Her face turned up in a scowl, but I didn’t care. “Did you know?” I growled. 

“Did I know what?” she replied smoothly. “Right now, all I know is that you’ve stormed in here like a madwoman, practically ruining hours of my work, so I would like some answers myself.”

I ignored her tone. “Did you know Shaun was dying? That I was brought here to be the director?” 

She had the decency to look away from me. “I was the one to help bring you out of cryostasis, Grace.” She sighed and began to pick up her papers, avoiding my gaze. “The director tasked me with helping him find a suitable replacement.”

“You know I can’t do this!” I hissed. “I won’t be a part of all this- it’s... wrong!”

“And why are you telling me?” she asked coldly. “I’m just a scientist.”

“Because you can help,” I pleaded. “Things are coming to a head outside, and I need someone in here I can trust.”

“And why would I do something foolish like helping you? I have everything I could want here- I can do great things at the Institute... and you’re suggesting I should just throw it all away?”

I glared at the doctor. “Do you know what happened when I went into Virgil’s labs? I didn’t get a chance to talk to you before... but seeing as how you’re so gung-ho for science, I figure you should have all the data... you know, account for all the _variables_,” I said sarcastically. “He left because he didn’t agree with what was going on here, Doctor Li. He found out what they were doing with the FEV virus.”

She got quiet and stared at me. “What are you saying, Grace?” 

“I’m saying... they’re stealing people, Doc. They stole them to test the virus... and made super mutants. Then, as if that wasn’t enough of a kick in the ass, they made synth copies so the people wouldn’t notice! They stole my friend’s brother... how many others have family that’s not coming back, huh? Your Institute did this. For _science_,” I said bitterly. “They stole my life and my child, and I’m never getting that back. They killed my husband and would’ve killed me too if I didn’t prove ‘resilient’. I don’t know about you, but I don’t take too kindly about being used, family or not.”

“What are you going to do,” she asked quietly. “What do you need?” 

“I’m leaving, but I have that choice. Others who want to leave need to be able to have it too. You included,” I said. “When I get out, I’m getting this serum to Virgil so he can be the man he was before-“

“Wait, Virgil’s a super mutant?” she squawked. “How?”

“He turned himself into one to get away from here. That’s how much he knew it was wrong, Madison.” I grabbed her hands, pleading with her to see reason. “I’ve heard the stories and read your files- I know you’re all about making the world better... but this isn’t better. Not when we’re willing to cast aside others for the ‘greater good’. Please... _help_ me,” I said tearfully. “I’m almost out of time and they’re going to look for me soon.”

She nodded. “All right,” she said finally. “What do you need, Grace?”  
  


_ _

* * *

Deacon walked over to the table and slid into the empty seat. “Fancy meeting you guys in a place like this... you here to stop a terrible organization from wreaking havoc, or are there just fantastic drink specials tonight?”

“I take it your crew is getting set up,” Hancock said dryly. “You guys see anyone outside?” 

“So far, nothing,” the spy said. “But that doesn’t mean anything- we know they just kinda pop up.” He frowned and signaled the waitress for a drink. “So we’re just laying low in the meantime. However, we do have reports of Brotherhood movement in the area.” Deacon looked at Hancock curiously. “Think she warned them too?”

“Nope,” he said. “She’s not a fan of the tin cans, as you might remember.” Hancock shifted in his seat, making sure he had a good view of the door. “Not that I want this to break out already, but this waiting is killing me.”

“Agreed,” said MacCready. “So, what happens when we see Princess? What’s the plan?” He drummed his fingers on the tabletop, irritating the shit out of Hancock, but the ghoul let it go. “We know she’s gonna be with a Courser- how do we get her away from it?” The merc looked at the ghoul. “Don’t suppose you have another one of those insta-kill codes, do you?” 

Hancock shook his head. “Wish I did, kid. Right now I’m relying on a shit-ton of bullets and a fuckton of luck. I’m thinking we do a snatch and grab... the first one that sees her, snatch her out of the way and run like hell.” 

Nick thought about it for a moment. “Not gonna work, John. Too many of us and no real way to keep in contact. We’d end up tripping over each other. Someone’s gotta take point- the rest of us can provide cover.” 

“I’ll do it,” said the kid. “You guys can cover me- I’ll snatch her and take her back inside the barn.”

Deacon sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Why are you guys making this harder than it needs to be? You know she’s headed to Old Man Stockton. Just wait and-“ he made a pistol sign with his fingers- “take him out there and snatch her back?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe it’s all the_ fucking bullets_ that she might get riddled with while we're sitting around waiting like a bunch of idiots?” Hancock glared, turning to the spy. “I know she ain’t nothin’ but an asset to you, but that’s my girl out there, and she’s risking her neck to help your people.”

“Fair point, mayor.” Deacon looked at Hancock over his glass. “I’m just trying to offer options, that’s all. We all know she’s a decent shot- I’m sure she’ll be fine, guys.”

Hancock gave Deacon a murderous look, and Nick put a hand on his chest to stop the ghoul from launching himself at the spy. “Cool it, John,” the detective muttered. “Not the time.” Nick turned his attention to Deacon, his voice low and threatening. “We’re not leaving it up to chance- we try to get to her before they even make it that far. Kid,” he said, turning to MacCready, "you take the high ground and try to take him out with that rifle of yours. Hancock, you’re the brightest thing out there, plus you’re the fastest out of all of us- you’re the sight point for the kid. Deacon and I will stick with you and give you cover fire.”

“How we gonna know where to go?” MacCready said, frowning. “Lotta places that they can get in, guys- no guarantee we know where they’re coming from.” 

Deacon looked thoughtful. “Well, we could always just leave the door open, and hope they take the bait, right?” 

“We could,” Hancock said thoughtfully. “I know we planned on blocking the gates, but having a funnel point ain’t the worst idea. Deacon, you think you can get your people stationed around the gate to pose as townspeople, make ‘em think we don’t know they’re coming? Then they can halt the main ones?” He thought about it for a moment before speaking again. “And make sure they know not to shoot Sunshine, ok?”

“Despite what you may think, I like the girl,” Deacon said with a smirk. “She tends to give a shit, which is a rarity out here, so I’m inclined to keep her alive.” He took a sip of his drink, smiling at the waitress. She noticed and grinned as she headed back towards the bar. “So, where’s the reporter? Ain’t she gonna be pissed to not be here?”

“She’s safe at home,” Mac interjected. “No sense in her getting caught up in this.”

The spy raised his eyebrows and grinned at the kid. “Ah... looks like the merc wants to meet the press, is that it?” MacCready scowled at him, but Deacon shrugged. “No need to get all feisty about it, kid- I can see the appeal.”

“Anyway,” Nick said, placing a hand on the kid’s shoulder as MacCready bristled. “Let’s stop flapping our gums and start doing what we need to do- I don’t see us getting more than one shot at this.”

Hancock nodded. “Time to bring our girl home.”  
  


_ _

* * *

To my chagrin, I was zapped to the outskirts of Bunker Hill where a Courser was waiting for me. “Ma’am, he said flatly, “we have reports of Brotherhood of Steel members in the area. It is advised that you proceed with caution during this mission.”

“Oh great, those fuckers,” I said. “What else can go wrong today?” 

X4-18 looked at me with a serious expression. “I am running simulations and I have come up with multiple scenarios in which-“ 

“Rhetorical question, X4.” I hoped and prayed that the code Doctor Li gave me worked. If not, I was going to be up a creek without a paddle- he was not the most flexible of partners. However, I still had to get inside the settlement without getting my ass blown off, which was also no small feat. Being forced to travel with him wasn’t exactly making this task any easier, but I was out of options. “Are you sure we have to do this,” I asked. “Isn’t there another way?”

“The orders are clear, ma’am- retrieve the synths and eliminate any Railroad members who oppose our retrieval.” The Courser looked at me as if I was addled. “This was explained to you, was it not?”

“It was... just hoping there was another way,” I said sadly. 

“There is not,” he said with finality. He signaled the small swarm of Gen-1 synths, and they began to pour through the gates of Bunker Hill. Resolved to see this through, I loaded my rifle and followed him through the gates, hoping I wouldn’t have to use it.   


_ _

* * *

The air around Hancock was crackling with electricity, and that wasn’t a metaphor. He could feel the static on his skin as the synths arrived, and he had to stop himself from screaming or flinging himself at the gate to search for Grace. Across from him, Nick was watching him carefully, much like Hancock himself had done previously. He realized that he must look crazy, and he nodded to Nick to show he was still in control. Deacon was behind him, humming some song in his ear and while it was driving Hancock crazy, it also meant he had to stay in the present. 

Soon, he saw it- a stream of synths began to pour through the gates. It was madness- from their hiding positions, he could see Railroad members taking them on. For a moment, they had the upper hand... but then the Vertibirds came. Brotherhood of Steel members began raining from the sky and streaming into the town, and soon the scene was madness. 

“_THERE_!” Nick yelled, pointing at the gate. Sure enough, he saw Grace ducking through the haze of smoke and lasers, trying to dodge as much as possible. All reason flew out the window as Hancock leaped from his hiding spot and flew at the girl, dragging her behind a building as Nick and Deacon took out some nearby synths that took offense to Hancock snatching their commanding officer off the field.

Grace screamed, unable to see who had grabbed her, but Hancock didn’t care. She’d get over being mad- right now his only concern was making sure that she was safe. “Let me go!” she shrieked, kicking him in the shin. 

“Ouch, Sunshine!” Hancock yelled, almost dropping her. “Calm down, would you? It’s me!” He flew behind the nearby building, and put her down, rubbing his leg as Deacon and Nick raced for cover a moment later. 

“John?” Grace said tentatively, peering through the smoke. “Is that you?” 

He leaned close to her face and her green eyes stared at him through the haze- when she saw him, she gasped. “Bet your ass it is,” he said, cupping her cheeks and kissing her. “I’ve missed you, Sunshine.”

She grinned. “Same here, but we’re gonna have to put this on hold for a moment. There’s a bunch of people out there getting their asses handed to them, and we can’t be making out behind a building like a couple of high school kids.” And as if to punctuate her point, two blasts hit directly to the side of them, and they ducked. “Come on- he knows where the synths are and he’s not gonna stop until he takes them back!”

“Fuck that!” Hancock yelled. “My priority is getting you outta here!” 

“Well, today my priority is making sure those people are safe! You’re always preaching about of the people, for the people- well, today you get to put your money where your mouth is,” she said, readying her rifle. “I’m the only one who can take him down, John!”

He gripped her arm, but one look at her face told him that she was serious. “You ain’t going out there alone, Sunshine.” He turned to Deacon and Nick. “C’mon- you heard the lady. Deacon, where are those synths at?”

Deacon fired at a nearby Paladin who was too close for comfort. “Near the monument- there’s a utility basement down there!” 

Nick frowned as he took down a Gen-1 that had crept up on his left side. “You know that Courser is gonna follow Gracie as soon as she pops back up on the scene, right?”

“I’m counting on it,” Grace said grimly. “Let’s go.”  
  


_ _

* * *

We raced through the basement, following the catwalks. As we passed Railroad members, I yelled at them to fall back- there was no sense in them trying to stop X4-18. Once they saw Deacon with me, they fell in line and moved towards the back, where Glory was standing guard over four huddled figures. “Glory! Get your team out of here, now!” I yelled. “The Courser is coming and he’s got orders to kill anyone associated with the Railroad- I’m not letting you guys die out here today.” 

Glory readied her gun. “I’m not letting anything happen to them! Plus, why should I trust you? You’re working for them!” She sighted her gun on me, and right before Hancock could move in front of me, Deacon got there first, pushing me aside and blocking her shot.

“Glory, get our people the fuck outta here!” Deacon snarled. “How do you think we knew this was happening- she was the one who told us!” 

She stared at him, but finally growled in frustration and lowered her weapon. “Fine!” She gestured at the skeleton crew of Railroad members to move out, and they slunk off into the darkness. 

With sadness, I turned to the three men at my side. “That means you too, guys. I don’t want you caught in the middle of this.” The looks on their faces told me they thought I was batshit crazy for suggesting that they leave, and I sighed. “Fine- find somewhere to hide, and stay out of sight, no matter what happens!” They nodded in agreement, and Deacon and Nick began to scramble for cover. Hancock paused, and I pulled him close, giving him a quick kiss. “John, go get your skinny ass under some cover- I didn’t make it through all this to lose you now.” He hesitated, then nodded as he ran behind some old crates.

After what felt like an eternity, X4-18 approached the doorway. “Ma’am,” he said evenly, “It appears we were separated. I had to locate the entrance on my own. My apologies for leaving you to handle the forces on your own.” He scanned the room and noticed the four synths cowering on the floor. “And it appears you have located the missing property- good.”

I had to try one more time- he deserved a chance. “X4, they aren’t property- they feel just like I do, and they deserve a chance at life. Let them go, please,” I begged the Courser, who just stared at me, unmoved.

“I don’t want to go back,” one of the synths said softly. “Please, just let us go- we haven’t done anything wrong!”

Another synth reached in his pocket, pulling out a handful of caps. “Look, we can pay you! We’ve got caps- you can have them! Please, just let us go!”

My heart was breaking for them- all they wanted was to be free, and here I was trying to reason with the slave catcher. “X4, listen to reason,” I pleaded, “we don’t have to do this!”

”Ma’am, I am sorry, but I have my orders, as do you.” X4 said with a neutral tone. “We were instructed to take the property back to the Institute. Step aside, ma’am.”

”Unlike you, I don’t blindly follow orders, X4,” I said sadly. “Sometimes you have to just do what’s right.” I lowered my head and said, “X4-18, initialize factory reset. Authorization code Bravo-8-2-Alpha.”

The Courser powered down, and I smiled at the huddled synths. “You’re free to go, guys. Follow us- we just need to make sure that it’s safe, ok?”

One of the synths looked at me, confusion on her face. “You’re not sending us back?” 

I leaned over her and patted her on her shoulder as I helped her get to her feet. “Nope. You don’t have to go back if you don’t want to, dear. None of you do.”

“But you could’ve been killed,” one said. “Why would you do that for us?”

“My thoughts exactly,” Hancock muttered as he crawled out from behind the crates, dusting off his coat and adjusting his hat. “Inquiring minds want to know, Sunshine.”

“Because I’ve been a prisoner,” I said flatly. “And even being a prisoner treated better than most, it’s not something I’d wish on anyone. Everyone deserves the chance to live the life they want- even him,” I said, pointing to the motionless Courser. “Deacon, can you get someone here to take care of him? We can’t leave him like this.”

“Sure thing, Grace,” Deacon said, hugging me. “We’ll send someone for him right away.”

\--

We walked out of the monument and it was carnage. Bodies were everywhere, but it looked like it was mostly Gen-1's- the Brotherhood had suffered too many casualties and retreated, and most of the Railroad members were standing outside, along with the shell-shocked residents of Bunker Hill. 

MacCready was waiting for us at the entrance and barreled towards me as soon as he saw me emerge. “Princess!” he exclaimed. “You’re back!” The kid wrapped me in a big hug, and I almost started crying. “What the he-heck were you thinking? Don’t you ever scare us like that again!”

“Oh, Mac- I missed you so much!” He was holding me so tight him I felt like my ribs were going to break. “Can’t breathe, Mac! You’re killing me!” 

He laughed and loosened his grip, pulling away and staring at me. “You get captured again and I’m gonna pitch a fit, understand? We can’t always rely on the freaky beyond radio station to save your butt, you know.”

“Shut up,” I told him, punching the kid in the arm and laughing. “And anyway, I saved my own butt this time. You guys saved everyone else's, though. Kinda nice to not be the damsel in distress for once.”

“You were never the damsel in distress, Gracie,” Nick said. “But you know we’re always gonna come when you call, right?” He pulled me in for a hug. “I missed you, kiddo.” Nick kissed me on my forehead and smiled, smoothing my hair away from my face. “Don’t scare us like that again, ok?”

I smiled. “I won’t. Not on purpose, anyway- this place is nuts, you know.” I turned to Deacon, and put my hands in my pockets, shifting my weight from foot to foot. “Guess I gotta stop threatening to shoot you now, huh,” I said, grinning. 

“I’d appreciate it... since your hubby already kicked my ass and stabbed me,” Deacon said. My mouth dropped open and I turned to Hancock, who shrugged. “Yeah, long story. I’m sure you’ll hear the boring version.” Deacon winked. “When you want to hear the more interesting one, come see me.” He moved over and hugged me. “Nice to see you’re still on our side, Grace- You’re a real hero, you know that?”

I laughed. “Well, I am with John Hancock... so what does that tell you?” 

Deacon laughed and whispered, “We gotta have a chat about that device you gave the mayor, Grace.”

“No, we don’t,” I said sweetly. “Get used to disappointment- I hear it’s good for personal growth.” 

Deacon frowned, then chuckled. “I don’t know why I expected anything else from you.” He patted my shoulder and started to walk away, glancing over at Hancock, who was waiting patiently. “Looks like someone wants to talk to you."

“Well, I always want to talk to him,” I said, staring at Hancock. “Even when it’s not supposed to be possible.”

Hancock didn’t say a word- instead, he just strode up and pressed my lips to his, as if I was air and he needed me to breathe. I knew there were tons of people around, but I didn’t care. To me, the only thing that mattered was that he was here- not an image on a screen or a voice on the other end of the line, but here. I needed to reassure myself that he was something I could touch, taste, and smell, and I wasn’t letting him go until I was convinced. I’d spent the last few days partially convinced that I was just dreaming to make myself feel better. I was scared I’d never see him again, never hold him or touch him, and I was trying to make up for all the lost time. 

When I finally had to emerge for air, I cupped my hands to his face, staring him in the eyes. “You’re real,” I whispered, still holding him close. “It wasn’t a dream.”

“I could say the same about you,” he said huskily, threading his fingers through my hair. “I’ve missed you so much, Sunshine, and I’m sorry if it makes you mad, but I ain’t never letting you go again.” 

For the first time in days, I felt free. “Fair enough,” I said, tears of happiness streaming down my face. “I don’t ever want you to let me go.”

To my right, I thought I saw a shimmer out of the corner of my eye, but I didn’t care- I had my family back. 

_ _

* * *

Hancock knew it was time to talk to her, but there were just so many people around that having the conversation he needed to have would be impossible. Folks had gathered around them as soon as they had emerged from the cavern, eager to get a glimpse of the girl that had given them a chance. Hancock understood, but he needed to talk to her alone. “Hey Sunshine,” he whispered in her ear, “We should head over to our room- I’d like to talk with you alone before we head on back.”

“Sounds kinda nice, John.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I’ve missed you so much,” she said softly. “I still can’t believe you’re real- I feel like I’m dreaming.”

“Now you know how I’ve felt for the past few days,” he agreed. “C’mon, let's get out of all this commotion and settle down for the night- we’ve got a lot to catch up on.”  
  


_ _

* * *

X6-88 was puzzled, which was nothing new as far as the woman was concerned. He watched as she openly defied Father’s orders, which was unacceptable, but he found himself curious nonetheless. Once again, she had insisted that the synths that they were sent to capture were people, and had asked them what they wanted instead of giving the order for them to return as she should have. X6-88 was confused- why was what the synths want any concern of hers? They were nothing more than property, right?

The Courser also noticed that she didn’t destroy X4-18, choosing to shut him down instead of disassembling him. He’d have to figure out how she got the code, but it perplexed him. She had the firepower, and she had to know he would have killed her for defying orders, but she chose not to terminate the synth. She even asked one of the rebels to help X4-18, even though the synth was under strict orders to terminate all who were protecting the stolen property. Even more curious was that he saw the humans trying to carefully restore X4-18 without damaging it. 

When they emerged from the cavern, he watched from the sidelines as she embraced the other humans, but was especially interested in her interactions with the Gen-2 and the ghoul. The Gen-2 had to be the one she had spoken to him about previously- this was the synth she was willing to engage in combat over, and after seeing her interactions with the machine, he had no doubts as to the veracity of her statement. What puzzled him most was the fact that the synth seemed to have just as much affection for her as she was displaying towards it. To X6-88, this didn’t make sense- synths were not supposed to form attachments, as they were there to serve and carry out orders, nothing more. But this synth had raced into battle and worked with the ghoul to destroy the targets in their path as they fought to get to the girl. 

The interactions between the woman and the ghoul confused him the most, he decided. All of his information told him that the ghouls on the surface were mindless abnormalities to be exterminated, but the woman was embracing the ghoul as if it were her equal. He saw their lips interlocked and wondered about the extent of the relationship between the strange woman and the ghoul- to him, it was reminiscent of the scientists he would catch in the halls of the Institute when they thought no one was around. But this information was conflicting with what he had previously been told, and he was unsure how to resolve the conflict. 

The best way would be to talk to the strange woman that Father had asked him to keep an eye on. He was not ordered to be here, per se- Father had not ordered him to escort her on this mission, but he was concerned about her well-being after their interactions this morning. She had claimed that she was under the impression that they were friends, and he was unsure as to what that meant. No one had ever made that claim about him before- he had been noted as efficient, he had been called effective, but never a friend. When he scanned his databanks for the meaning of the word, it brought to mind images that were similar to what he was seeing as she interacted with the people and synths out here. 

_Friends_, he thought. _This is an interesting concept_.

He decided that since he was not being asked to return to the Institute right now, he could take a little more time to learn about the concept of friendship. When she was out of the company of the others, he would like to take a moment and ask her to explain more of what she meant. Maybe she could even offer insight into her strange behavior- it would be an interesting learning experience for him. _I will wait_, he thought. She had more to teach him, and he could not learn it if she did not return. It would also prove difficult to follow his orders to ensure her safety if he did not keep an eye on her on the surface- there were no cameras to track her moves up here, and the location sensor in her relay chip was not functioning properly. 

So until she decided to return home with him, he would be patient and stay unnoticed, as he needed to talk to her and gather more information.

_After all_, he told himself,_ it was the logical thing to do_. 


	29. Reunions, Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hancock and Grace make good on a promise and return home; Grace meets old friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT ALERT!  
The top half is a little smutty, but hey, after all that other stuff went down, do you blame them?
> 
> Still, we got some plot in here too- there's something for everyone!

_ _

* * *

We settled into our room and no sooner than the door had shut, I shoved Hancock against the wall, ripping off his coat and shirt and tossing it across the room as I threw myself against him. Emotions were coming out of me in a flood, and I couldn’t think of anything I wanted more than being with him right then. Catching onto the fact that I wasn’t in the mood for conversation, Hancock began removing the horrible jumpsuit, flinging it as far away from him as he could. 

“I never want to see you in that again,” he said as he picked me up off the floor, carrying me over to the bed and gently tossing me down, crawling above me. He leaned over my face and gently nipped my lip, moving his head down as he placed soft kisses on my collarbone. When he reached my bra, he quickly began sliding the straps down over my shoulders.

“What do you want to see me in,” I asked breathlessly.

“Right now? Nothing at all,” he replied, removing my breast from the cup of my bra and taking my nipple between his teeth- my skin was super sensitive to his touch and I gasped. Hancock looked up, grinning as he slid his hand up my back and unhooked my straps, freeing me and giving his hands room to explore. Deftly, he moved his mouth lower, kissing every inch of my chest and running his hands up and down my body as if he were checking to make sure that everything was exactly as he left it. “Did they do anything to you,” he asked, slowly sliding my underwear down my legs. “Touch you, run tests on you... anything like that?”

I shook my head and gasped as he dipped his fingers between my legs. “Nothing. I’m exactly as you left me,” I said, struggling against a moan as he stroked my clit. “Still yours, John.”

“Good,” he said, staring at me, expression heavy. “You feeling ok?” 

“Better now that I’m with you,” I said, grabbing him and digging into his back with my fingernails. “But if you want to perform a more thorough inspection, be my guest,” I said wickedly. 

“Oh, I intend to,” he said, moving his fingers in and out in a rhythm as he leaned forward and kissed me on my neck, tracing his tongue against my neck in that way that sent shivers down my spine and caused me to spasm against his fingers. “I’m not letting you go again, Sunshine,” he said, moving his head lower. “It’s you and me, remember.”

“I remember,” I moaned as he moved his head between my legs, licking and sucking at me. As he began to stroke me from the inside with his fingers, I felt my body start to shake and knew I was close- wailing in ecstasy, I squeezed his shoulders and arched my back, pressing myself further into his mouth. While I knew the man was talented, I wasn't quite aware of the depths of his flexibility- in one deft move, he had rolled onto his back, flipping me on top of him and making me ride his face as I came. He gripped my ass tightly as I bucked and rolled against his tongue, locking me in place- when the shocks had subsided, I slid away from his mouth and moved my sticky hair out of my face. “Holy shit, John, what the hell was that?” I gasped, moving down and kissing him, tasting my wetness on his lips. “And no fair,” I said, realizing he still had his pants on. “How the hell do you do that?”

“Practice,” he said with a wink. I smacked his chest and he laughed, rolling me on my side and stroking my cheek with his fingertip. I turned my head and popped his finger into my mouth, gently sucking it and watching as his eyes rolled back into his head. “Sunshine,” he moaned. 

I placed a finger to his lips and gently moved my head, planting soft kisses along his chest. “Shh- my turn,” I said, moving my hands to untie his sash and slide his pants down. I couldn’t wait anymore- as soon as he was free, I moved my head down and traced my tongue on his inner thighs, running my fingers across his tip, and smiling as he gasped, hands pressing into my shoulders. He clenched tighter as I traced my tongue upwards along his width, tracing patterns and teasing him as I ran my fingers along the outside of his shaft. Eager to see him buckle at my touch, I gripped him softly before taking him inside my mouth, feeling more satisfied by the minute as I saw his body writhe against the mattress. 

Hancock inhaled sharply, taking his fingers and entwining them in my hair as I sucked him tighter, moving my mouth up and down and gliding my fingers against him. With my other hand firmly cupping his ass, I pressed him further into my mouth, not ashamed of the party tricks I had practiced with my sorority- _who said college was full of useless information?_ Feeling him twitch beneath me, I began to go faster and his hand moved to the nape of my neck, holding my head firmly against him. In response, I moved my head upward and tightened my lips and rolled my tongue against his tip, causing him to gasp at the sensation. “You gotta stop,” he said breathlessly. “I’m gonna-“

“That’s the idea,” I said, moving my head down as far as I could and gripping him with my mouth. Deliberately, I slid my head up and wrapped my hand around him, stroking him firmly and watching as he released, the taste of him spilling into my mouth while he moaned and body shuddered beneath me. 

“Okay, now you got me wondering where you learned that little trick,” he said, laughing as I moved up to lay beside him. And if you say practice,” he leaned over to kiss me as he finished taking off his pants and tossing them to the other side of the bed, “I’m gonna be really jealous.” 

I grinned. “Double standard much?” I said, kissing him. “What makes you so special?”

“I’m older,” he said, laughing. “I’ve had more time to get set up for you.”

“Technically, I’m even older than you,” I said, throwing my arms around his neck. “So what does that mean?” I snuggled in closer, feeling the warmth of him against my bare chest. “God, I missed you, John.”

“Missed you too, Sunshine,” he said, tracing his fingers up and down my stomach- I giggled. “Seriously, you alright? Did you get hurt at all?”

“Meh,” I shrugged. “Fought an old assaultron while I was getting Virgil’s serum,” I felt his hand press tightly above my hip and I smiled, trying to put him at ease. “Don’t worry,” I said. “It didn’t catch me this time- I hacked the turrets and shot it to bits before it even noticed I was there. Would’ve just been a couple of bumps and bruises, if, you know, I bruised.” I grinned, but he was looking at me like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to strangle or cuddle me. “Totally, ok,” I said, showing him my arms and legs. “Nothing wrong at all, see?”

“Sunshine,” he said slowly. “We gotta talk.”

_ _

* * *

Hancock stared at Grace, not sure how he should approach the conversation he’d been playing through his head for the past few days. “Well,” he said nervously. “I gotta talk to you about something.”

“What did you do,” she said, her voice suddenly hard. “Conversations that start like this never turn out well, and if I’m going to have to shoot you, I’d prefer if we didn’t draw this out.”

“Sunshine, what the hell!” he said, appalled. “It’s not like that, sheesh!” He kissed her on the forehead, chuckling. “Ain’t another out in this world that compares to what I got right here and you know it.” She relaxed slightly and Hancock let out a sigh of relief. “Look, this is super new for me, so I’m gonna just tell you what I know, ok?“

“All right, I guess,” she said, grinning as she ran her fingers up the small of his back. “Are you sure that's the best use of our time right now, though?” 

He rubbed his neck nervously. “I... think it might be.” Hancock looked at Grace, then took a deep breath and prayed she wouldn’t lose her mind as he started to talk.  
—  
_Hancock followed Doctor Amari back to the Memory Den. The doctor glanced around the clinic, checking to make sure no one was inside with them. When she was satisfied they were alone. she closed the door to her office. “Are you sure Grace won’t be back for a while? We should probably wait for her.” _

_“Doc, you started this and now you’re scaring the piss out of me... what did you find out?” Hancock was in no mood to play games lately and this was more drama than he cared to entertain right now. _

_The doctor settled in a nearby chair, staring at the mayor as she shuffled idly through some papers on her desk. “Well, you asked me to run some tests to see why Grace was immune to the radiation, remember?”_

_“I do,” he said mildly. “Is that what this is all about? Look Doc, I appreciate all the cloak and dagger, but you really could’ve found another-“_

_Doctor Amari held up a hand. “Mayor, with all due respect, shut the hell up for a moment, please.” She fixed him with a serious expression. “So, I ran some tests,” she started again, “and it turns out she’s not immune to the radiation, per se.”_

_“That’s not possible,” he said, frowning. “You and I both tested her- she doesn’t soak up any rads. We saw that- both of the thingamajigs didn’t register any at all.” _

_She nodded. “That’s right, they didn’t register any... because her body just filters them out. I tested out a small amount of radioactive material against her blood, and it registered for less than a millisecond before being completely neutralized.”_

_“Maybe that’s why she said she can taste it,” Hancock mused. “So, does that mean she’s in danger from the rads out there?” _

_Doctor Amari shook her head. “No more than we’re in danger from the everyday amounts in the atmosphere- her body seems to shrugs it off.” Hancock smiled and started to stand up, but the doctor scowled and pointed at the chair. “Sit back down, John,” she said sharply. “I wasn’t finished.” _

_Hancock just stared at her- the doctor was often curt, but never like this. Confused, he sat back down in his seat, trying to figure out just what the hell was going on. _

_“I was looking at her bloodwork when I realized some of the numbers were off." She paused, watching him carefully. "Initially, I figured it was because of the radiation exposure, but when I compared it to her previous tests after she returned from the Glowing Sea, I realized that wasn’t it.” The doctor folded her hands and sighed. “Far be it from me to pry into your life, John... but I would assume you two have been... intimate, is that correct? And judging by the accessories you recently started sporting, I’m under the assumption it’s an exclusive arrangement between the two of you- would that also be correct?”_

_“Um, not that it’s any of your business, Doc, but yeah, that’s a pretty safe assumption," he replied, bristling at her question. "What does this have to do with anything?” _

_“Well,” the doctor drummed her fingers on her desk and stared at him. “If this was about anyone else, I might be a little less inclined to tell you this news, but seeing as how this is highly irregular... well, to be frank, impossible-“_

_Hancock fixed the doctor with a look. “Spit it out, doc- you’re stalling.”_

_“Damn right,” she said. “Well, I guess I’m going to go with congratulations?” she asked the ghoul._

_Hancock couldn’t respond- he was too busy trying to pick his jaw up off the floor. _  
  


_ _

* * *

“No shit,” I said staring at him. My mind was reeling, but the more I thought about it, the more things were starting to make sense. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying to me?” 

“Um, considering nothing I thought was common knowledge seems to apply anymore, you might want to tell me what you’re thinking,” he said carefully. 

“Well, since _you’re_ the one with the information, I think you should start,” I said, trying to read him but coming up blank. “But before I make my guess, how would you feel about the situation if we’re talking about the same thing? And before we even start with an awkward conversation, it’s been a really, really long time since there was anyone else but you, so I'm thinking I want you to lay this all out for me, John.”

“Well I’m a bit more concerned about you than me at this point, Sunshine,” he said, evading my question, “considering all the bullshit you’ve just gone through.”

“Say it, John,” I pressed. “I’m not saying another word to you until you tell me.” 

“Is it selfish that I want to know how you feel before I say anything?” I glared at him, not amused in the slightest by his stalling- he sighed. “First of all, I’d say I’m pretty pleased about the result, but I’m not too keen on the timing, that’s for damn sure.”

“John, if you don’t tell me right now I’m going to the bar and grabbing a whole bottle of whiskey with a bottle of vodka as a chaser,” I warned. “And you know I can do it.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he growled. 

“Then tell me why I shouldn’t,” I said defiantly. “I’ve been captured and held hostage by my son, been involved in a shootout between the Brotherhood, the Institute, and the Railroad, and my future husband is being extremely cagey with me about something that seems to be _super_ fucking pertinent to my well-being. So I’mma need you to tell me why I shouldn’t go down there _right fucking now_ and have myself a welcome home party at the bar?”

I was pretty sure the man was popping blood vessels left and right- Hancock looked furious. “Because you’re knocked up with my kid, Sunshine!” 

I smiled and patted his cheek. “See, was that so hard to say?” Hancock shot me a murderous look, but I ignored it, snuggling in close and wrapping my arms around his neck to diffuse him. “Well, that explains why mom was being so helpful,” I mused. “Also explains a few other things, too.” 

Hancock didn’t say a word- he just rolled me on my back and rested his hand lightly on my stomach, shaking his head. “I got everything I was never supposed to have, Sunshine,” he whispered. “And of _course_ it happens when I have to stand by and watch you risk your goddamn neck for a bunch of folks who have no idea what we stand to lose.” He shook his head angrily. “Fucking figures,” he muttered. 

“There’s never a right time, John,” I said. “It happens when it’s supposed to. Admittedly, I would’ve liked to know this was a possibility going in, but hey, live and learn, I guess.” I patted his back absentmindedly, mind still reeling. “So, overall, is this a _yay_ or a _fuck me sideways_ type of situation?”

“Honestly? It’s a bit of both,” he said. “All I want to do is wrap you up and keep you safe, but I know that’s about as likely as me and the Brotherhood baking cookies for each other.” Hancock sighed. “But it leans more on the yay side of the equation if that’s what you’re asking.”

“So, you know we gotta tell the others, right?” I said. I figured it wasn’t going to be long before I was retching my guts up on a regular, so giving Nick and Mac a heads-up probably wouldn’t be the worst thing. On the other hand, that would be two more people signing up to be paranoid as hell, and I wasn’t exactly rushing to be known as the walking incubator. Sighing, I rolled over and kissed Hancock. “This is a right pickle,” I said. “Glad you already proposed or I might be worried,” I chuckled. 

“Well you know you ain’t getting rid of me now,” he said as he kissed the tip of my nose. “But I apologize in advance for the pain in your ass I’m about to be.”  
  


_ _

* * *

Hancock was pissed beyond recognition as they sat around the table eating breakfast. She was eating like she hadn’t just suggested that they head back out to the Glowing Sea to give Virgil the serum. He had to admit, she played him- he couldn’t say anything without outing their secret since they all knew that she was immune to the radiation. Plus, with the new chips Doctor Li had given her, they’d be there and back before he knew it. Even still, he wasn’t keen on her traveling via the relay until she got checked out- he’d tried to argue that they should hold off till she could get a workup from Amari, but Grace just smiled and continued eating, saying that she’d been traveling via relay all this time, so if something was wrong, there was nothing they could do about it now. She even reminded him that her mom hadn’t said anything about it, so they could safely assume that it was fine. Hancock had fixed her with a look that could’ve peeled paint, but she just ignored it and smiled at him, eating like there was absolutely nothing wrong, and his mature and well-thought-out response was to toss his napkin down and storm out the bar. 

Hancock knew he was going to be in for a shitshow over the next nine months- he prayed he wasn’t going to have a stroke before this was over. 

“What’s eating at you this morning, John,” Nick asked, leaning against the building while Hancock fumed. “You’ve been treating the girl like glass since she got back, which you and I both know is the easiest way to get her to do the exact opposite of what you want her to do. Care to explain?”

_Fuck it,_ he thought. _Maybe Nick can talk some sense into her. _

“Walk with me,” he said, looking around. Hancock didn’t want anyone overhearing what he had to say- he was extremely aware that this news shouldn’t be common knowledge. A thought nagged at him- _what’s gonna happen when you two can’t hide it anymore? Either you’re gonna have to watch while someone else pretends to be the father of your kid, or you’re gonna have to take on the Brotherhood and the Institute to make sure your wife and kid don’t end up in a ditch or a test tube. _

Neither option made him particularly happy and he grimaced, causing the detective to place a hand on his shoulder. “You alright there, John?” 

“Nope,” he said as he and Nick settled into an unused alley. “Not in the slightest.” He decided he didn’t have the patience for tact right now. “Sunshine’s knocked up and you know how she is,” he said. “It’s my kid, but hey, I don’t get a say about what risky shit she’s cooked up and decided to go and do.”

Nick just stared at Hancock, trying to replay what the ghoul had just told him. “Did you just say-“

“Yep,” he said, not giving the detective a chance to finish. “One big happy family, right over here,” he said glumly. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely tickled about this whole thing,” he added quickly, “but I’m also downright pissed, cause I know how she is- she ain’t gonna stop till she does what she thinks she needs to do, which ain’t exactly meshing with what I think we should do.”

“Which, judging by that conversation in there, is nothing, am I right?” Nick said gently. He turned to look at the man, who looked about as far away from happy as one could be. “First of all, congratulations- this is turning out to be a banner year for you, John.” 

“Whee,” Hancock said flatly, twirling his finger in the air. “A fat lot of good it’s gonna do if they both get killed because she’s running around like an idiot.”

“I get it, I do,” Nick said. “If I were you, I’d want to wrap her in bubble wrap and lock her up for the next few months, but we all know she’d be likely to shoot you if you tried.” He patted Hancock on the arm. “Look, for what it’s worth, her plan isn’t as risky as you’re making it out to be. She even said her doctor friend fixed the chips to let her take two people, and it seems to me that’s the best you’re gonna get, John.” Nick smiled at him. “Plus, you know if you fight her on this, she’s only gonna come up with something else, or even worse, do this without you. Wouldn’t you rather be with her and able to protect your family if something happens?”

“Fuck my life,” Hancock said, banging his head on the wall. 

_ _

* * *

“Well, I suppose I owe you for the heads up on the bloodbath that showed up outside my doorstep, huh?” said a voice I didn’t recognize. I turned and found a woman standing over me, arms crossed and a smirk on her face. “So you’re the infamous Mrs. Hancock, I presume?”

“The name is Grace,” I said warily, glancing over at MacCready, who was narrowing his eyes at the woman. “And you are?” 

“Kessler,” she said, extending her hand to me. “I just wanted to introduce myself to the woman who inspired a man like Hancock to settle down.” She looked me up and down, and smirked, which instantly made me want to knock her on her ass. “Little young, aren’t you?”

_And you’re a little old, you bitch._ “Afraid not... much, much older than I look,” I said with a fake smile. “But we make it work.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mac shift in his seat to keep an eye on the woman. “I’m glad we could help save your folks, Kessler,” I said, hoping to end the conversation. 

“Oh same... and it was _so_ nice seeing Hancock again after so long,” she purred. “It was awful nice of him to stop by and... _personally_ let me know.”

I fought not to roll my eyes- she couldn’t be more obvious if she tried. “He is kind like that,” I said evenly. It was taking all my willpower to not be the queen of the petty people, but she was testing my patience. I looked over at MacCready, only to see that he had steam practically coming from his ears. “Have you met my brother?” I asked, gesturing towards the kid- when she realized who I meant, her face faltered. “I’m sorry, he’s a little overprotective,” I said with a smile. “Mac, I assume John was a gentleman when he came to town, right? There’s nothing we have to apologize for, I assume?” 

“Nothing at all, Princess,” Mac growled. “Kessler, it’s been a _pleasure_,” he said pointedly. “I’m sure the Railroad folks can use a hand out there with the cleanup, don’t you think?”

She ignored the kid, choosing to glare at me instead. “What makes you so special,” she hissed under her breath. “Why did he choose you?”

“I ask myself that every day,” I said honestly. “But if you get an answer, I'd be interested to know what it is.” She looked like she wanted to say something else, but decided to leave instead, leaving the kid and me alone at the table. “Well, that was unexpected,” I said shakily. “Kinda want a drink after that.” 

“I admit- I’m impressed you didn’t rip her a new one, Princess,” Mac said, giving me a once over. “Now I’m really not sure they didn’t swap you out with a different model while you were in there,” he said with a grin.

“Nah, wasn’t worth the fight,” I said. “Plus, I’ve seen that girl before,” I said sadly, twisting the ring on my finger. “That shit hurts, kid- no sense in adding fuel to that fire.” I looked at the woman heading out of the bar and sipped my juice. “That being said, I still want to hit her in the mouth, but I’m trying to be a better person here.” 

“There’s the girl I know,” the kid said with a smile. “Glad to have you back, Princess.”

“Glad to be back, kid.”  
—  
”So, how does this work?” Hancock asked, looking warily at me. “I just hold your arm and then we zap wherever?”

I shrugged. “Pretty close. I didn’t ask about the science, I’m just using it.” I looked over at Nick and the kid, who were seeing us off. “You guys gonna be ok getting back?”

Nick chuckled, nudging the kid in the ribs. “We’re gonna stop in Diamond City, see Piper and let her know you’re safe. Figured she’s probably not gonna be too keen to know that we had a firefight and put her new boy toy and friend in the thick of it,” he said, leaning over and hugging me. “You two be safe,” he whispered in my ear. 

I raised my eyebrow, then reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek. “You know?” I asked softly. 

The detective gave an imperceptible nod and tipped his hat at me. “Use that doodad of yours to get back as soon as possible and get the Doc to take a look at you, Gracie,” Nick said carefully. “I’d kind of like independent confirmation that there’s no Institute shenanigans going on.” I caught his meaning and nodded- the detective smiled. “Have Kent shoot old Travis a message to let us know you’re back unless you can find a way to use that thing of yours and not get shot on sight coming into town?”

“Considering I’m not exactly proficient at it, I think we may have to stick to traditional methods for a minute,” I said, laughing. “But we’ll let you know when we’re back.”

The kid came up and hugged me. “Just when you get back, you gotta leave again. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was me,” he said with a grin. 

“It’s never you, kid,” I said, kissing him on the cheek. “I’ll be back and pissing you off again before you know it.”

“You better be... otherwise I’m gonna kick your butt, Princess.” He poked me in the chest and took off his hat, raking his fingers through his hair. “You’re gonna make all this luscious hair go gray if you keep stressing me out.”

I tweaked his nose, and MacCready scowled. “I dunno,” I said with a grin, “maybe then you’d actually look like you’re supposed to be up past nine- going gray might be a good look for you.” 

_ _

* * *

X6 was able to lock onto the coordinates the girl and the ghoul entered and watched as they disappeared in a flash of blue light. He’d received word from Father that he was to locate the woman and bring her back, so now he had a reason to approach her, despite her company. However, he found himself curious as to what she was doing, and he still hadn’t gotten the chance to converse with her yet. From the way the ghoul was sticking by her side, he figured that he would have to approach her while she was with her companion- at least then he would get a chance to talk with her before they had to return and talk with Father.

The courser punched in the coordinates she had entered, following the two out to the Glowing Sea. 

_ _

* * *

“That was crazy, Sunshine,” Hancock said shakily. “I feel like I’ve been put through a blender.”

“Yeah, well-“ I started to say something else, but I was hit by the overwhelming need to puke, so I did. “Oh my god, that _sucked_,” I said, wiping my mouth. “Maybe it’s just worse when you travel with two people.”

“Or three,” Hancock said wryly. 

Just then, there was a shimmer and the smell of ozone wafted through the air. Suddenly, a man dressed in all black appeared in front of me and I jumped back. “What the fuck!” Hancock yelled, pushing me behind him and putting his hand on his knife. “It’s that courser from Kellogg’s brain- get back!” 

I shook my head. “Calm down, John... I know this one.” I turned to the courser while holding a hand to Hancock’s chest as he threw a fit beside me. “X6, what are you doing here?”

“Ma’am,” he said cordially, “Initially, I came to make sure you were all right, as the mission seemed to go awry and you did not return to the Institute afterward. But now, I have orders to escort you back to see Father,” he said, offering me his hand. “Please come with me.” 

“You can move that hand before I break it,” Hancock snarled, eyeing X6 apprehensively. “She ain’t going nowhere with you.”

“Ma’am, why is this ghoul with you?" X6 looked perplexed. "If you required protection on your travels, all you had to do was request assistance.” 

“X6,” I sighed. “I’m not going back to see Father,” I said gently. “I have things to do out here that are more important.” 

The courser cocked his head. “Would these matters have to do with friendship?” X6 asked quizzically. “It seems that the topic is a strong motivator for you.”

“_Okay_, you did listen to me... color me surprised,” I said, placing my finger to my chin while Hancock convulsed behind me. “Yes, X6- these are things I have to do for my friends.”

“Is this ghoul your friend?” He asked, gesturing to Hancock. “I noticed that you seem to be more intimate with him that others- your displays of affection are-“

“Yes,” I said hurriedly. “John is my friend. In fact, he's my best friend, and I would do anything to keep him safe,” I said pointedly, hoping Hancock would get the point and settle down. “So you need to understand that I am not leaving- you can go back and tell Father I’ll talk to him later.”

“Like hell,” Hancock growled. “You ain’t stepping foot back in there.”

“But ma’am, you also said we are friends,” X6 said sadly. “Would you not help me complete a task that I have been assigned?”

I had to take a mental step back- did the _courser_ just call himself my friend? “X6, I'm confused- would you mind explaining that one to me?” 

“You have previously told me that you thought we were friends, and then you have stated that you are here to do tasks for your friends. Ergo, I would assume you would assist with this task I have been assigned.” X6 looked at me curiously. “Is that not how your concept of friendship works?”

I felt like my brain was short-circuiting, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hancock pull a Mentat out of his pocket and pop one in his mouth. I placed my hand out as if I wanted one, and he swatted it away angrily. “Even if I thought you were serious, ain’t no way in hell I’d give you one now,” he said. “But... you heard that too, right? Did I just hear the murder machine say he’s your _friend_?”

“I am not a ‘murder machine’, ghoul,” X6 said pointedly. “My designation is X6-88, and I am her friend, just as you are.”

My mind was spinning and I wasn’t sure I was equipped to handle this. “X6, yes, you are my friend-“Hancock made a strangled noise behind me, and I thwacked him in the side- “but friends don’t ask friends to do things that would be bad for them. John here wouldn’t ask me to do something that wouldn’t be good for me... right, John?”

“Never, Sunshine,” he agreed, looking warily at the courser. “My number one priority is keeping her safe,” he said, trying to make sure I stayed behind him. “What’s yours?”

“While keeping her safe is not my number one directive, it is certainly one of the duties I have been tasked with,” X6 agreed. “And ma'am, you feel that going back to the institute at this time would be unsafe for you? Would this be because you are ill?” 

“We can go with that, sure,” I said. “You can go back and tell Shaun that I will see him at a later time, but I have some business on the surface that I need to attend to.”

X6 frowned. “Father will not be pleased, ma’am. His orders were-“ 

“I do not respond to orders, X6,” I said, placing my hands on my hips. “I talk to my friends and I listen to what they ask me to do- I make my own choices. And Shaun is not my friend,” I said pointedly. “My friends have what is best for me in mind,” I said, hoping the courser would continue to follow along- granted, this situation was crazy as hell, but since it was happening, I was going to roll with it. 

“So, if I am your friend, I must not obey an order that you specifically feel would cause you harm... is that correct?” 

I looked at Hancock and we nodded, and just for good measure, I threw in something else. “And we do not harm the friends of our friends- right John?” I gestured to X6. “Since you are my friend, X6, my friend Hancock here is not going to harm you, understand?” 

X6 scoffed. “The ghoul could not harm me, but according to your logic, which appears to be sound, this means I cannot harm him.”

“Hancock, X6. His name is Hancock,” I said, looking warily at the courser. “So... are we all friends now?” 

“It would appear that way, yes,” the courser said. “So since we are friends, allow me to assist you on this mission and keep you safe, ma’am.” 

“Um... ok,” I said, looking at Hancock and shrugging my shoulders. I didn’t know what else to do- this was new territory for me, and I had no clue how to keep him on my side. Since he wasn’t being hostile, it wouldn’t be fair to use the recall code Doctor Li had given me on him, but I wasn’t taking him in the cave with Virgil- that was for damn sure. I thought for moment, trying to find a way to make the courser feel like he was helping without following me. “Can you do us a favor and watch out for enemies while we go and talk to our other friend inside? I think there’s a deathclaw roaming around out here, and I’d feel safer if you kept watch, X6.”

X6 looked concerned. “But you have not given me an order, ma’am.”

“Um...” I bit my lip and stared at the courser. “I don’t like giving my friends orders, X6- and if I do it on accident, my friends have the right to say no to anything they don’t agree with.” 

“So, you are asking me to do something, but I only need to do it if I wish to... is that correct?” X6 stared at me, confusion reflected on his face. “Friendship is puzzling- it seems that there are multiple variables here that one must consider.”

“On that, we can agree,” I replied politely. “So, will you do me a favor and guard the entrance for us?” 

“If you are my friend, then that means what you are asking will not hurt me, so then there is no risk to me in doing so,” he said confidently. “Since this request is logical, I will do as you ask.”

“Thanks, X6,” I said, patting his arm gently as Hancock and I scooted past him and went inside the cave. “You are being a very good friend right now.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said, standing guard at the entrance. "I will wait here until you and the ghoul return." 

As we entered the cave, Hancock turned to me incredulously. “Sunshine, that was the freakiest shit I’ve seen in a long time, and I’ve talked with your family,” he said. “Did you just _logic_ a courser into being your friend?” 

“I think so... not sure how that happened,” I said as we raced deeper inside. “He’s the one who was assigned to watch me when I was in the institute." I shrugged. "Guess I made a friend.”

Hancock shook his head. “I think you have to be the luckiest bastard in the commonwealth sometimes,” he said finally. “Let’s get this to Virgil and figure out how to make sure your new friend doesn’t get us all shot on sight.”  
  


_ _

* * *

Hancock’s brain was still reeling when they got inside to Virgil. Overall, Hancock thought the mutant wasn’t looking all that good, but he couldn't deny that the scientist positively lit up when he saw the two of them. “You guys made it! I was wondering if you were able to get inside!” Hancock watched with caution as Virgil hugged Grace- he was afraid the mutant might accidentally crush her in his excitement. “Did you find your boy?” 

“Yes,” she said sadly. “Not what I was expecting, but here, I got your serum, Virgil. And I found Doctor Li- she was worried about you.” She carefully gave him the vial. “Hope this does what you need it to do- if you ever want to get away from here, I’d suggest you head on over to Sanctuary. They could stand to have a scientist there, and it’s under control of the Minutemen now.”

“I’ll take that under advisement... thank you, Grace.” He glanced down and appeared to consider his next words. “And if you go back,” the scientist said, “can you tell Madison thank you?”

“She’s not,” Hancock said curtly. “I think we’ve had our fill of the Institute.”

Grace smiled at Virgil, ignoring his outburst. “Sure will. She’s gonna be happy to know you’re ok.” She patted the mutant on the arm and took a look around the cave. “Guess this is it. By the way, Doctor Li told me to give you this,” she said, giving him a holotape. “I don’t know what’s on it, but I promised her I’d get it to you.”

“Good... well... go away so I can get to work,” he said gruffly, clutching the tape and waving them off. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

“Goodbye to you too,” Grace said, laughing. "I hope all goes well for you, Virgil."

\--

To Hancock’s dismay, the courser was still outside in one piece and waiting on Grace as soon as they exited the cave. “Ma’am,” X6 said, “It looks as if you’ve completed your mission.”

“Yes,” she said solemnly. “And it looks as if you did yours- thank you very much, X6.” She gave the synth another pat on the arm, and Hancock swore he could see the corners of the courser's mouth turn up into a small smile. “John and I have to head back home now- there are a lot of people that are waiting on me there.”

“And home is not the Institute,” it said sadly. “If that is the case, may I accompany you to your home, ma’am? I do not think that the ghoul is sufficient protection in the Commonwealth to ensure your safety if you insist on staying on the surface.”

Hancock bristled as he noticed Grace trying to hide a smile. “X6, John is more than capable of keeping me safe out here-“ Hancock heard the synth snort, which made him chuckle, despite himself- “and I think you should talk to Father before you get in trouble. I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me,” she said, smiling at the courser. 

“It would appear that you concerned for my well-being, ma’am,” X6 said, tilting his head to the side. “Why is that?”

Grace laughed, and the sound was like bells tinkling in the air. “Because we’re friends, X6- that’s what friends do!”

X6 stared at Hancock. “And are you concerned about my welfare as well, ghoul?”

Hancock wanted to say something but bit his tongue when Grace kicked him. “Yes- I’m concerned about your welfare,” he mumbled, shooting his girl a look. He was more concerned about when the fucking robot would exit his airspace, but it seemed that now wasn't the time to bring that up. 

“Then I am concerned about the welfare of the two of you as well,” X6 said simply. “I will accompany you both to ensure your safety, and then I will return to Father.”

_This motherfucker_, Hancock thought._ I think I prefer the dog. _

_ _

* * *

“Do you require any additional assistance?” X6 asked as we approached the outskirts of Diamond City. “You were ill upon your last travel using the relay- was that a problem this time?”

“Nope, I’m fine- thank you for checking.” I smiled at the Courser and internally shook my head. _Did he actually give a shit if I was ok? This was a change._ “I think we can travel the rest of the way on our own, but thank you for your help.”

“Though they do appear to have a large security force, I cannot ensure your safety until you are enclosed within the walls of the town. If it makes you feel more comfortable, I will engage stealth mode as to not be detected from those that are not your friends, ma’am.”

Seeing that I wasn’t going to win this argument, I looked at Hancock and shrugged- he rolled his eyes and put his arm around my waist, guiding me along the road. "If that makes you feel more comfortable, I don't see any issue with that."

After we had walked along for a little bit, the disembodied voice of X6 spoke near my ear. “Is the ghoul walking in such proximity of you necessary for this portion of the trip? Is this something that I should do as well?”

“Not if you want to keep your hands,” Hancock growled. Turning to me, he frowned. “I’ve been good so far, but I got my limits, Sunshine.”

I laughed in spite of the oddness of the situation. “X6, it’s fine- this is something that is reserved for John- he is a special type of friend,” I said carefully, not feeling like explaining a relationship to the courser. 

X6 reappeared for a moment and frowned. “But I have seen you be in close proximity to the other three you called friends as well, albeit with much briefer contact,” he said, staring at Hancock through his glasses. “Is that not a thing friends do?” 

I thought about it for a moment, then my eyes widened with understanding. “Oh- you mean hugs!” I exclaimed. “This is a hug, X6,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist. The courser gasped and Hancock let out a tiny shriek- I laughed. “I give my friends hugs sometimes when I say goodbye, and now I’ve given you one too.”

“Which means you can leave,” Hancock said pointedly. X6 simply ignored Hancock and reactivated his stealth mode, walking closely on my left side while Hancock kept his arm around my waist. I sighed- it wasn’t worth the argument. 

Just as we were about to enter the town, two Brotherhood of Steel members in power armor turned towards us, plasma rifles held the ready. Startled, I threw my arms out, halting the two men in their tracks. I looked nervously at Hancock and felt X6 start to move forward, but it was a good thing I stopped them- moments later, a Vertibird crested up from behind a hill, revealing two more members inside with Gatling guns trained on us. 

“We’ve got eyes on the girl,” one said. Then one of the men turned to me. “Grace Richards, we’re going to need you to come with us- Elder Maxson has requested to speak with you.”

“Um, I’m good,” I said, backing away. “I don’t think I like how this invitation is turning out, guys. Tell him to try again, maybe send an evite next time.”

“We have orders to bring you in alive,” the man said. “But there are no such orders for your pet ghoul,” he said, turning his gun on Hancock. “Come with us, please,” he turned to his partner. “Send the order to recall the troops from Goodneighbor- she’s at Diamond City.” 

_Shit- these fuckers were serious._

“X6, please keep our friend safe,” I whispered, walking forward. Hancock tried to reach out for me, but X6 stuck out an unseen hand, halting him in his tracks. The two paladins grabbed me by my arms and escorted me to the Vertibird, ignoring Hancock's howls of protest. As we were taking off, I heard Hancock start to yell and watched in horror as he began to sprint towards the plane. Despite my scrambling to wrench the gun out of his hand, the paladin who wasn’t holding me raised his rifle and fired. Instantly, Hancock went sprawling to the ground and I shrieked, unable to do a thing as we rose high into in the air.


	30. Rockets’ Red Glare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a little help, the Misfits take on the Brotherhood of Steel

_ _

* * *

“That hurt,” X6 said plainly, rolling off Hancock and watching the Vertibird take off towards the large airship in the distance. “I knew your protection would not be sufficient, ghoul.”

“_Get off me!_” Hancock screeched. “Those motherfuckers have _Grace_!” he yelled. “And we’re outside the _one_ goddamn settlement in the whole fucking Commonwealth that won’t let you or me in without her. _FUCK_!” he screamed, holding his head in his hands. “I just got her back and she gets captured _again_! How the hell does this shit keep happening?”

“It appears,” X6 said dryly, “that they had been watching for her for some time, seeing as they had alternate units deployed to ensure her capture. It is my estimation that she would have been targeted no matter when she returned, ghoul. And,” he said with what appeared to be a smirk, “she allowed herself to be captured to avoid them harming you, as they were unaware of my presence.”

Hancock wanted to punch the synth in the mouth, but he couldn’t disagree with the logic. “The fact remains,” he said angrily, “she’s gone, and we can’t get inside to my friends to get help.”

X6 cocked his head at Hancock. “You wish to enter the settlement of Diamond City, is that correct? Why can’t you do so?”

“They don’t like ghouls here- if the guards see me, I’m likely to get shot on sight,” Hancock said wearily. “I guess we could go to Goodneighbor, send a message-“

“Or we could do this,” X6 said, grabbing the ghoul and disappearing in a flash of blue light.

—  
Hancock let out a scream and looked around in a panic. After a moment, he settled down, noticing that he was in a house that looked remarkably familiar to him- he’d seen it before, but he couldn’t quite place where he knew it from. “What did you do?” Hancock asked. “Where the hell are we?”

“You wished to be inside Diamond City. As you are my friend by proxy and the request did not present harm to me, I assisted- we are now in the former home of Kellogg since I had the coordinates of this location stored in memory. As of right now, no guards have been alerted to your presence, ghoul. Is this satisfactory?”

Hancock stared at the courser, open-mouthed, trying to get words out, but not finding any that would be appropriate. The synth stared at him impassively for a moment, then the corners of his mouth twitched. “When I perform a request for ma’am, she usually responds with ‘thank you’ if the action was satisfactory. Was this not satisfactory?”

“Thank you,” Hancock spluttered. “Now we just need to get to my friends so I can get an escort.”

“Is there anything you can use to distort your appearance?” X6 asked. “The large unsightly facial gear and clothing worn by the guards in this town could distract from your mottled appearance if you wish,” the Courser said helpfully. “There appears to be a set nearby I could appropriate for your usage if it will assist with your safety- it would comply with her request,” he said proudly.

_This is karma,_ Hancock thought to himself. _I have absolutely shit karma and someone is laughing at me up there._ “Fine. X6- that would be very helpful- thank you,” he said wearily. “Please do what you can to help me get us to my friends.”

“Did you not mean to say ‘our friends’?” asked the Courser. “Since they are your friends, and you are my friend by proxy, they would also be my friends by proxy, and I am obligated to assist them with requests, am I not?”

Hancock felt the start of a migraine coming on and fought the urge to take a hit of Jet- now wasn’t the time. “Yeah, we’re going to go with that, X6. You’re right- those are your friends too.”

“Good.” X6 cocked his head to the side. “Since I am leaving, I must tell you goodbye.” Before Hancock could protest, the courser had wrapped him in an awkward hug before disappearing into stealth mode.

Frustrated beyond belief, Hancock waited until the door closed before he turned to the wall and began to bang his head.

_ _

* * *

“Grace Richards, once a lawyer from Boston, now the leader of the Minutemen - interesting to meet you, considering your information puts you at over 230 years old,” the young man said.

“Shit, did I have a birthday already? I must’ve missed that with all the being kidnapped that’s been going around here lately,” I muttered. “You know who I am, so who the fuck are you, exactly?” They stole my Pip-Boy and I was super pissed about that- I was all set to blink out of here, but alas, no such luck- I was stuck with yet another set of locals. I was _so_ goddamn tired of these dudes and this caveman shit- my fingers twitched at my side and I was missing the shit out of my magnum. Kellogg may have been a dick, but he had a very nice gun- it had served me well, and I wanted it oh so badly right now.

_Well, now when you look at it in comparison, Preston wasn’t all that bad, huh?_

The young man preened and I rolled my eyes. “Arthur Maxson, Elder for the Brotherhood of Steel,” he said, taking my hand and placing a kiss on my fingers. “It’s a pleasure to meet the woman who saved my team from the filthy ghouls back in Cambridge. Most people in this hellhole aren’t as selfless as you, Grace.”

“Yeah, well we all make mistakes,” I growled. “Had I known that would lead me here right now, that day may have gone differently. You know, since your people shot my husband!” I didn’t mean to blurt that out, but I was spitting mad at this point.

Maxson stared at me with shock. “What, you mean the _ghoul_?” Snarling, I tried to rush him, and the guards increased the grip on my arms. “Oh dear,” he said, startled at my attack, “it appears that you did indeed care for it.” He patted my arm and I twisted away from his touch. “Grace, you know people such as yourself can’t be associating with lesser creatures like ghouls and synths.” He spied my ring, and his face twisted in disgust. “But, I digress... we should start by removing _that_,” he said with a sneer.

“Touch it and I’ll break your goddamn face,” I hissed.

Maxson simply clucked his tongue at my outburst- he snapped his fingers and one of the paladins came over and tried to tug the ring off my hand. Luckily, the ring was stuck fast, but I still head-butted the man in the face, breaking his nose. The man screamed and blood squirted all over and I grinned, my face streaked with crimson.

The man growled- the air resounded with a loud crack as the Paladin slapped me across the face with his armored hand. It hurt like hell, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry- putting on a brave front, I stared at him, defiant. “Like I said, touch it again and see what happens, you stupid sonofabitch.”

“Loyal _and_ tough... interesting,” he said to himself, regarding me with a mix of curiosity and admiration. “That’s enough,” Maxson said, shaking his head at the men holding me. “Take her to the holding cells, please." He turned to me, a conciliatory smile on his face. "Grace, we’ll talk later, when you’re a bit more... accommodating.” Dismissing me with a wave, the remaining guard dragged me to the cells below, kicking and screaming until my voice was gone and my throat was raw from the exertion.

_ _

* * *

“Guard,” Nick said evenly to the figure in front of him, folding his hands across his desk. “What can I do you for?”

“Nick, it’s me,” Hancock hissed, flipping off the face shield. “Where’s the kid and the reporter? We gotta find the spy,” he said frantically. “We need help.”

X6 sighed, exasperated by the ghoul’s lack of coherence. “It would appear you are one of the friends the ghoul was referring to. We require your assistance in rescuing ma’am, as she was captured by the Brotherhood of Steel- the ghoul and I both have a directive to keep the woman safe. Per what she has said about friends, you would be obligated to help- is that correct?”

Nick just blinked. “John... am I seeing this? Do you have a Courser in my office with you?”

X6 nodded. “The ghoul is my friend by proxy, synth. What is your designation? My designation is X6-88. The woman, known as Grace, is my friend, which would, therefore, make us friends by proxy, so you may call me X6.”

“This is not fucking happening,” Nick mumbled, putting his hands to his temples. “John, what the hell did you do?”

“This is all Sunshine, Nick. But he’s my-“ Hancock swallowed, unwilling to say the words, “friend,” he finished shakily, giving the courser a thumbs up and a huge fake smile. “And he got me into Diamond City to collect the rest of you. They took her up on that big ass ship above the airport.”

X6 frowned. “I do not have coordinates to teleport aboard that ship, ghoul and synth. We would require other means of transportation.”

“The name is Nick,” the detective said tersely. “Use it.”

“This chatter is irrelevant,” X6 said. “Nick, ghoul, do we have all the assistance we need?”

Hancock shook his head. “We need to find the kid and the reporter. Nick, can you grab them?” The detective nodded and headed out, giving X6 a sideways glance as he left his office. “X6,” the ghoul said cautiously, “How many people can you use your zappy light transport thingie on at once?”

X6 gave them a blank look. “I do not have a specified number, ghoul. I am designed to round up multiple synths and return them as needed- my transport power is sufficient for my task.”

“How many times am I gonna have to tell you that my name is Hancock,” he said with exasperation- he took a breath, deciding to try and ignore the slight. “Look, can you get the five of us out of here if I can tell you where to go?“

The courser frowned. “Will this new destination result in us going to rescue my friend instead of sitting around here engaging in idle chatter?” X6 asked.

“That’s the idea,” Hancock said thoughtfully.

“Then yes,” X6 said, staring at him curiously. “It would appear that you have a plan. I trust that this plan does not involve you launching yourself at an airborne object and getting me shot in the process?”

“It involves us inside the airborne object this time, X6,” Hancock said. “Can you fly a plane?” The courser simply shook his head and Hancock sighed- it was worth a shot. “Then we have to talk to someone else who can help us.”

—

“We gotta get her off that ship, Deacon,” Hancock told the spy. “So, how about it- can you fly a plane?” 

Deacon whistled. “That's a tall order, Hancock.” The spy looked out at the sea of worried faces. When his eyes settled on X6, he shivered. “Look, I don’t know if we can do it-“

X6 leaned over to Hancock. “I was under the impression this man was a friend, ghoul,” he said, staring at the spy. “I have seen ma’am give him the embrace of friendship,” the courser intoned, “but I am sensing hesitation on his part to help us. Why is that?”

“Not sure, X6- I think you should ask him about that,” Hancock said, smiling sweetly at the spy. “I can't imagine why he’s refusing to help us get your friend back.”

Deacon’s eyes grew wide. “I never said I wasn’t gonna help! I just can’t fly a plane, is all,” he squeaked. “But... Tinker Tom... he might be able to help us out.”

MacCready rolled his eyes. “Not that nutjob,” he mumbled. “We got enough issues.”

“Look,” Hancock said, ignoring everyone, “Those assholes stole my family. And if I gotta go up in the air with Tommy Tinfoil to get her back, then that’s what I’m gonna do.” He turned to Deacon, his gaze hard. “And I'm quite sure after their last stint at Bunker Hill, Dez wants them gone as much as I do. Let’s show them that the Commonwealth ain’t as easy to take over as they think it is.”

Deacon looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "You’re right- I think Dez might want in on any plan that screws over those assholes." He gestured for Hancock. "Follow me, Mayor- let’s go have a chat and see how we can resolve this."

“This seems like it is a goodbye, is that correct?” X6 said.

Hancock nodded. “Yeah, I gotta-“ The ghoul realized his mistake too late- before he could finish his sentence, the courser had gripped him in that strange facsimile of a hug again, then stood straight up as if nothing had occurred. For a moment, no one spoke- MacCready was turning red from holding in his laughter, and Deacon, Piper, and Nick were just staring between the ghoul and the Courser. Unable to contain himself any longer, the kid was the first one to lose his composure- he fell to his knees and started shaking with silent laughter.

Finally, when Hancock didn’t move, X6 stared at him curiously. “It appeared you were leaving. Did I do the goodbye custom wrong?”

Not missing a beat, Nick looked at the Courser with a completely straight face and said, “Absolutely not, X6- you did it perfectly.”

—

Desdemona stared at Hancock like he had lost his mind. “You brought a _Courser_ to my doorstep, Mayor? What the hell were you thinking?“

“That this courser wants to blow apart the tin cans to get my wife back, who is his friend. And right now, he’s our best shot at taking down the Brotherhood of Steel, which sounds like a win to me.” Hancock sighed. “I got my reasons for wanting them gone, Dez- and it just so happens that our interests line up right now, so whatcha got for me?”

Dez ignored him, looking at Deacon instead. “Is he telling the truth? Is that Courser actually on our side?”

Deacon sighed. “Against all odds, yes. As long as we consider Hancock a friend, we have a courser on our side. But hey, I’ve seen stranger things this week, Dez. I say let’s take the win- she’s risked her neck for us, we can do this for her.”

Unable to come up with a better plan, Desdemona looked between the two men and sighed. “Fine,” she said. “Let’s see what we can do to bring that bird to the ground.”

—

After a lot of cajoling and a fair amount of babble, Tinker Tom agreed to head out to Cambridge police station with Hancock’s rather large group in search of a working Vertibird. With a loud _POP, _they arrived in the ruins- Hancock looked at the group, his face grim with determination. “OK, guys, we need a plan to snatch that bird. Anyone got any thoughts?” He was very careful to not give X6 an order- Hancock knew that would go against his friendship protocol. While he was sure Grace could get away with it, he knew that it was his relationship status with her that was saving his ass right now, and he wasn’t in a rush to test things. This whole crew was tenuous at best- no sense in rocking the boat till the Prydwen came down and Grace was by his side again.

After a moment, X6 spoke up. “I think it might be advantageous for me to do reconnaissance in stealth mode and see what kind of contingent is within the station and guarding the item we wish to procure. Does this sound satisfactory, ghoul?”

Wanting to both keep the peace and acknowledge someone who finally had a plan worth a damn, Hancock nodded at the Courser. “That’s a great plan, thank you- is it alright with you if the rest of us wait here?”

X6’s lips turned up into a smile and he nodded. “That would be advisable, yes.”

Suddenly, he winked out of existence- the smell of ozone permeated the air, and the group looked around, dumbfounded. After looking over his shoulder a few times, MacCready turned to the group. “Is anyone else creeped out by the murder bot?” He raised a hand and pointed to himself. “No? Just me?”

“Shut _up_, kid!” Deacon hissed. “If that thing comes back and hears you not being friend-like, we’re all gonna die! I’m not interested in getting blasted to smithereens because you can’t fucking be polite!”

The kid threw up his hands. “All right, _sheesh_\- calm down, spy! No need to get your panties in a bunch over it!”

“You can afford to be flip, kid- you haven’t seen one in action up close. I’ve seen it twice so far and I don’t need a third time to get the message,” Deacon said nervously. “If it needs me to buy it candy and flowers to keep it happy, then that’s what the hell I’m gonna do!”

Tinker Tom glanced around with amazement. “Does this kind of thing often happen when you guys go out?”

Just then, X6 returned, causing Deacon to nearly jump out of his skin. “There are three humans on the ground level, and four more on the roof next to the vehicle. It does not appear that there is enough room for all of us to fit. Some of us will have to stay on the ground.” X6 looked at Hancock. “If it is agreeable, I would like to take the ghoul, the nervous one, and the one you call spy with me to the roof. I would prefer to leave the nervous one, but it appears he is the only one who can fly such a vehicle.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Hancock said, turning to look at his friends. “Wright, Nick, Mac... I’m thinking its probably the same three that we ran into out here. Think you guys can keep ‘em busy while we handle the rooftop party?”

Piper looked grim but reached into her holster to grab her gun and reload her pistol. “To get her back? Damn straight we can.” She turned to the group. “You guys ready?"

The kid laughed and slung his rifle over his shoulder. “You heard the lady- I’m not arguing with her.” He turned to X6. “Can you find us back here after you get Princess?”

X6 nodded in the affirmative. “I think that will be easier, yes, since you will have a definitive location.” The Courser glowered. “Take precautions- two of these humans wear the same armor as those who have stolen Grace. One is female.”

“Less talking, more rescuing,” Hancock said, pulling himself to his feet and flipping his knife between his fingers. “Time to move out.”

_ _

* * *

It had been a few hours and no one had come back- I was determined to take that as a good thing. I knew he was trying to wait me out, but I guess he had forgotten I had over 200 years to cool my jets in cold storage- a few hours wasn’t going to make much more difference. What _was_ freaking me out, however, was the way he looked at me- like I was something he had to have, and I was not digging that at all. For a moment, I wondered how he’d feel if he knew his pristine vault specimen was knocked up by the abomination, and then I thought better of it- I didn’t want him finding out about that at all.

Suddenly, the door opened, and two guards appeared with guns trained on me. “Time to go- Elder Maxson wishes to see you.”

I glared at the two men, uninterested in anything they had to say. “If he wants to talk to me, then he can come to get me himself.”

“That can be arranged, Grace,” said Maxson, appearing from behind the two men. “I trust you’re feeling calmer now?”

I folded my arms and stared at the young man. “Sure, nothing says peace and love like being tossed into a dungeon. I feel positively peachy-keen right now. Fucking asshole,” I muttered.

“Grace,” he said with a sigh, “please follow me. I wish to have a conversation with you, nothing more.” He gestured at the two men, who hoisted me up by my arms and carried me out of the cell behind the Elder. Maxson sat down at a small table and gestured to the guards to have me sit. When I tried to remain standing up, the guards pushed me down by the shoulders, forcing me to be seated- their arms hovered at my sides.

“Brothers, please,” Maxson said. “I have handled deathclaws- I can certainly handle a small woman.”

“But _sir_,“ The paladin on my right cried, pointing at the other man who was now sporting a bandage across his face. “She broke his nose!”

“As she warned him she would do,” Maxson said evenly. “It seems as if she is a lady of her word. Which,” he said, “I admire.” He looked at me and frowned. “I am sorry about that, Grace. We’ll send someone with a Stimpak at once for your face- that looks like it hurts.”

I frowned, then grabbed one of the shiny metal plates on the table, tilting it upward to see my face. Though it was hazy, I could see a bruise on the top of my head and a bright red handprint.

_Ok, that was new. Pregnancy thing?_

_No... it’s a sympathy thing,_ I realized. _He doesn’t want to be seen as the guy who’s got his men beating on the tiny girl, and now he’s trying to make up for it. So, think about it... how can you use this to your advantage?_ I wasn’t going to defer to him- if I did, he wouldn’t respect me. But, I needed him to recognize what he was doing- so this was going to be a fine line. I didn’t do so well with diplomacy, but I didn't have much choice right now- time to put my training to work. “Why are you doing this?” I said softly. “I haven’t done anything to you or your group, but you’ve stolen me from my friends and family, tried to steal property that has nothing to do with you, and your men have beaten me. Right now, the Brotherhood is no better than raiders, so tell me- what are you looking to get from this, Maxson?”

His face fell, and I fought to hold back a smile. _Bingo_. “Grace, I apologize- this was not my intention at all.”

“I don’t give a _shit_ about your intentions- I care about your actions,” I said curtly. “I’d like to go home, now.”

He folded his hands and looked down. “I’m afraid that’s not possible at the moment, but I’m sure we can talk about-“

“My face hurts,” I said, staring at him. “Since it looks like I’m not being released anytime soon, I’d like to go back to my cell.” I narrowed my eyes at the young man. “Is it too much to ask to be left alone and not be assaulted, or should I just prepare myself for the inevitable?”

“Grace-“ Maxson looked horrified at the implication. “We are _not_ raiders- that is _not_-“ the young man was flustered, which was the reaction I was hoping for. “Brothers, escort Grace back to her room-“

“_Cell_,” I interrupted. “Room implies I’m being fed and cared for instead of locked up.”

He looked chagrined at my interruption. “As I said, take her back to her room, and make sure that a doctor comes up to see her with a stimpak and some food.” He turned to look at me. “Grace, we can talk again after you’ve had a chance to rest up.” He gestured towards the exit, and I looked at the guards- this time, they let me stand on my own and walk back towards the cells, though I noticed their hands twitched dangerously close to the plasma rifles that swayed on their hips as they walked.

_ _

* * *

MacCready was twitching with rage as he prepared to go into the station. He was sick and tired of the Brotherhood of Steel- they were nothing but trouble in the Capital Wasteland, and they were nothing but trouble here. Against his better judgment, he’d helped them because Princess had asked him to, and then they had gone ahead and captured her, right when he’d just gotten her back.

“Mac,” Piper said, placing a hand on his arm, “you gonna be all right?” She fixed her hazel eyes on his, and he felt like himself again. Her touch steadied him a little- if she was here, he had to focus.

It was still new to him, being able to laugh and talk to someone... like he used to with Lucy. But this time it was different- she knew his secrets, but never judged him for it. He wiped his brow and pursed his lips. “I’m so tired of this, Pipes,” he said slowly. “We let them go and then they do this... we should’ve let them get eaten.”

“But Blue ain’t like that and you know it,” Piper said softly. “But hey,” she loaded her gun and smiled at the merc, “at least I get to spend some more quality time with you, right?”

“You say the nicest things, Pipes,” He placed a kiss on her cheek- the reporter touched her hand to her face, blushing bright red as she smiled at him. “Now," the merc said with a grin, "let’s go inside and get some answers, shall we?”

_ _

* * *

After seeing X6 in action, Hancock was inclined to agree with Deacon and offer the courser some candy and flowers. “Holy _shit_, X6,” Hancock said. “Was that even a challenge for you at _all_?”

“No,” the Courser intoned. “It was not. However, they were not expecting us- their lack of attention made this task much simpler.” X6 glanced over at the men Hancock had subdued and nodded. “It appears you were adequate in the fight as well. Maybe ma’am will not die if left alone in your care for longer periods.”

Hancock fought an urge to roll his eyes while Deacon chuckled. “Hey, Mayor, grab one of these sets of power armor and put it on- we’re gonna need the disguises.”

“Not a shot in hell, Deacon. I got a plan.” Hancock turned to X6. “If we can distract the guards, can you use your stealth mode to go search for Grace?”

“I can, ghoul,” he said. “What is your plan?”

Hancock pointed to the spy. “If he and Tinker Tom put on Brotherhood gear, they can pretend like they’ve captured me, which would give us a direct line to Sunshine. If I know her, she’s probably raising hell- and if it were me, I would want leverage to keep her quiet. We already know they ain’t above using me to get to her.”

X6 nodded. “This plan sounds remarkably better than your first one.” Then the courser cocked his head, thinking for a moment. “But what do we do after they have captured you?”

Hancock pondered his question. “Hopefully, you find Grace. Then, I’d hope you can teleport us back to the plane so we can get the hell out of there,” Hancock said, watching Deacon suit up into the power armor. Tinker Tom was putting on a set of the lighter gear, gingerly stripping the dead man and thanking him for his clothes.

“There is a variable in here that I am unsure of, ghoul,” X6 said. “If I am to locate Grace, who will protect you? She would be most upset if they killed you while I was away, and previous encounters with the group suggest they have no problems eliminating you.”

“The Courser has a point, Hancock,” Deacon said, his voice muffled from the armor. “They’d easily shoot you on sight. I’m good with the part where we use you as bait, but I’m not exactly keen on seeing you get shot in front of me... or Grace.”

Hancock thought about it for a moment- they had a point.

X6 looked thoughtful as he got inside the vehicle. “I do not dispute the merits of your plan, ghoul. But may I offer a suggestion?”

“Please do- we’re evaluating all ideas that don’t involve me getting murdered,” Hancock said. “What are you thinking?” he asked as he hopped into the Vertibird behind the Courser. Finally dressed and looking like he wanted to throw up, Tinker Tom climbed into the pilot seat and began to prep the vehicle.

Once inside, X6 turned to the spy. “Can you use your potentially inadequate disguises to keep the ghoul safe until I can plant the charges the nervous one says are required to destroy the ship?” He then turned to Hancock. “As you said, you are appropriate bait. I will go with you in stealth mode as you request an audience with Grace. This way, if they go against your request, I will be able to eliminate the threat.”

“Can't believe I'm saying this, but this plan... actually sounds reasonable,” Deacon said, climbing aboard and looking very awkward in the bulky armor. ”You ready to get her back?”

“More than you know,” Hancock said, leg twitching anxiously. “Tom, let’s get this bird in the air.”

Tinker Tom nodded, hit a switch, and then the entire plane jerked forward with a screech, tossing the men about in the vehicle. “Sorry guys,” he said nervously. “Been a while... just a little rusty. Gimme a second- I'll get it.”

“Well, I’m not trying to be a little dead!” Hancock yelled, untangling himself from Deacon. “Figure this shit out now!”

“It’s cool- I think I've got it now!” The man flipped a few more switches and the Vertibird slowly lifted off the ground and into the evening sky.

Hancock felt his stomach lurch as they traveled in the choppy air- this was ten times worse than the teleportation. He was rapidly discovering that he was not meant to be airborne, and the sooner that they were back on the ground, the better. _Please be ok, Sunshine... we’re coming_, he thought. Deacon was upfront with Tom- while Hancock was pretty sure he was muffled by the engine noise, he wasn’t one for taking unnecessary chances. But the more he thought, the more this decision made sense. “X6, can you hear me?” Hancock said quietly.

The Courser nodded. “I can, ghoul. Should I alert the other two?”

Hancock shook his head. “No, this is just for you, X6. I’d like to ask you to do something for me, but I need you to keep it a secret. Do you know what a secret is?”

X6 paused. “I do understand the concept of a secret, but I cannot give you an answer until I know your request.”

“I get that, but I got a reason. Can you listen and see if my order beats hers?” Hancock prayed he wasn’t asking for too much. He probably was, but he had to try anyway.

X6 nodded. “I will listen to you, though I cannot see why I would respond to you over her.”

“Fair enough,” he said, “Look, I need you to keep Grace safe at all costs- even if it means that I get hurt, ok?”,” He took off his hat, staring out into the night sky. “X6, she’s going to have a kid... my kid,” he said softly. “No one else here knows, and that’s important- we can’t tell anyone yet. And I need you to keep both of them safe, no matter what. Right now, you’re the only person I trust to do that,” he said, swallowing nervously. “Can you help me? Please?”

X6 sat silently. “You are doing the same thing as she does, ghoul- you are referring to me as a person. Is this what people do?”

“Risk it all for others?” Hancock asked. “Yeah, the good ones do.”

“So, you are a good person?” X6 said questioningly. “I was under the impression you were a ghoul, not a person.”

“When it comes to Sunshine, I’m both, I guess,” he said, shrugging. “Can you keep this secret? Can you help me keep my family safe, X6?”

“You should have confirmed I could have kept this secret before you told me.” Hancock looked panicked for a moment, but the synth continued. “However, I can comply with both of these requests- I will keep her and her future offspring safe.”

“Thank you, X6,” Hancock said, settling back into his seat and staring out into the sky. Soon the decks of the Prydwen loomed in front of them- like it or not, this was it. They rode in silence for the rest of the way, and finally, they landed with a jolt onto the deck. Hancock nodded at the courser, who took the charges from Tinker Tom and disappeared. He looked at Deacon, who was unnerving and unrecognizable in the power armor. “How long do you think we have until someone finds us?”

Deacon shrugged. “I’d assume a few minutes. Not many folks are crazy enough to board a whole airship full of Brotherhood with nothing but a suit of power armor. So being stupid as hell is a point in our favor today, I guess.”

“I’ll take whatever points we can get right now- I’m just hoping nothing happens to the Courser,” Hancock shook his head and smiled. “Never in my life did I ever think I’d be uttering those words.”

“I’m finding that a lot of strange things happen when I travel with your crew, Hancock. Starting not to surprise me all that much anymore,” Deacon said with a chuckle. “I’d tell people, but they’d just think I was lying again. Ironic that the truth is crazier than my stories.”

Hancock laughed in spite of himself. “Well, that’s Sunshine for you- crazy just follows her. How else do you think she picked up this ragtag crew?”

The spy laughed. “I’d just assumed she had super shitty luck.”

“That too, apparently,” Hancock said with a shrug. “I swear, I’ve never seen someone get kidnapped so goddamn much- I’m starting to wonder if it’s foreplay or somethin’.”

“Too much, Hancock,” Deacon said, laughing. “Keep that between you and her.”

_ _

* * *

“This is your fault,” Nick growled at the three Brotherhood of Steel members they had trained their guns on. “You morons got her kidnapped.”

Paladin Danse shook his head. “We merely reported back what had happened to our squadron. It was never our intent to get her kidnapped. And I am sure she’s fine- she’s in the company of our finest brothers and sisters. But _you_? You come here and attack us, steal Brotherhood property, and injure our brothers and sisters! You are no better than the hooligans outside!”

“I’m pretty sure you started this, considering we didn’t steal someone and shoot their husband, you jerk,” MacCready growled and looked over at the detective. “I’m also finding it hard to figure out why we haven’t shot them yet, Nick.”

Nick grinned. “Because I’m not one for wastin’ resources, kid.” The detective turned to the two in the armor- all the mirth was gone from his face. “You two got a choice- either get out of those sardine cans on your own or I pull the cores and leave you trapped in the rust buckets. Your choice,” he said pointedly.

“I'm not willing to argue with the abomination about this- we’ll exit,” Danse grumbled. He turned to Rhys, who nodded at the senior officer. The two stepped out of the suits and Nick collected the fusion cores from the back- instantly, the armor stood motionless in the center of the room. Once the men were freed from their armor, Piper proceeded to cuff the three together, forcing them to sit in a circle.

“Isn’t this just cozy,” MacCready said. “Now we can all wait here together until I get my sister back.” He gave the men a murderous look, cocking his gun. “And if something’s happened to her, I’m taking it out on them, Nick.”

“Fair’s fair, kid,” Nick said, shrugging. “I’m going to check upstairs and see if the bot left anything alive up there.“ He turned to the three Brotherhood members on the floor and shook his head. ”_Really_ bad move on your part, guys- you picked the one person to kidnap that could make friends with a courser. Looks like anyone you lost up there is on you, not us.”

_ _

* * *

As I sat on the small cot, I noticed a strange smell... _ozone_.

“Is someone there?” I yelled. “Who’s out there?” I began to bang on the door, trying to get the attention of whatever was outside. “_Hey_! Answer me!” After a moment, there was a click, and in front of me, to my great surprise, was X6. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you right now,” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around the Courser. “Thank you... thank you so much!”

“This is fortunate,” X6 said. “I would like to take you back to the vehicle now- the others are waiting for my return.” He looked at me. "Are you ready to go, ma'am?”

“John is here?” I asked, preparing to run from the room. Suddenly, I stopped, shaking my head. “Wait- I can’t leave yet- they have all my stuff.”I paused, scanning the area. “X6, is there a chest nearby?”

X6 nodded. “There is a chest at the entrance to this corridor... but it is locked, ma’am.” He looked over at my face and frowned. “You are bruised,” he said. “I am sorry I was unable to protect you earlier.”

I smiled. “Finally a problem I can solve,” I said, yanking a bobby-pin from the back of my hair as I followed the courser down the hallway. “And this?” I said, gesturing to my face, "isn’t your fault, X6,” I stopped near the chest and began to work the lock. “One of these pricks hit me after I broke his nose.” Finally, the lock popped open, and I breathed a sigh of relief. “Got it!” I exclaimed, grabbing my stuff. "Now, time to get the fuck off this plane,” I said, pulling on my Pip-boy and holstering my weapon.

“That would be advisable,” he agreed. "I was supposed to be back at the vehicle by now. The ghoul may worry and do something that is in conflict with the plan if we do not return soon.”

I grabbed his arm, breathing a sigh of relief. “Then get me out of here, please."

_ _

* * *

Just as Hancock was about to get nervous, the smell of ozone wafted through the Vertibird. He looked around and noticed X6 standing in the doorframe. “It is done, ghoul. The charges are placed, but we should exit immediately,” he said, climbing into the vehicle.

Hancock growled. “Not without-“ his words died in his throat as he saw Grace emerge from behind X6. She was there, but she was a mess- her face was covered in a purplish-blue bruise, and both of her eyes were black. “Oh _fuck_,” he said, eyes widening at her appearance. Without a second thought, he grabbed Grace tightly in his arms, burying her face into him as he helped her in the Vertibird. “Sunshine, what the hell did they do to you?”

“S’ok,” she mumbled from his coat. “I head-butted a dude who tried to take my ring and broke his nose, so he smacked the shit out of me. Pro tip? Don’t get smacked by someone wearing metal gloves,” she said dryly. “I think I got an assist- the bruises were the only thing that kept him... away,” she said, shuddering. “It hurt his pride to think that his crew wasn’t any better than the raiders.”

“They aren’t,” Hancock grumbled. “Bunch of bullies in tin suits, that’s what they are. If I already wasn’t gonna blow this bitch up, I’d kill him,” Hancock growled. “Tom, get this bird out of here! I want this trash heap out of my sight!”

“Roger, Mayor- Hold on, guys!” Tinker Tom started up the Vertibird, and they took off. When he had flown some distance away, he looked at the crew. “Ready to blow it?”

“I’m so sorry, Sunshine... this should have never happened,” he muttered, stroking her hair. Then he looked up, eyes hard and angry. “Tom, I’ve been ready,” Hancock said. “Do it.” Tinker Tom nodded, and as they watched, there was a loud _BOOM_, and the sky lit up with a sickening red glow. Fireballs shot up from the sky, and the heat from the flames made his skin itch.

While they watched the ship start to descend towards the earth in a devastating display of metal and flames, their Vertibird gave a sickening lurch, and Hancock had to grab the rails to keep him and Grace from sliding out of the plane. Tom fiddled with controls frantically, but it was of no use, and the inventor began to scream. “We’re getting caught in the backdraft and I can’t control the plane!” He tried a few more knobs, but the plane refused to respond. “Hold on guys! We’re gonna crash!”

“Fuck that! X6, get us out of here, now!” Hancock yelled, forgetting himself in panic. He felt a moment of nausea when he realized he had just given the courser an order, but the courser simply nodded, forgiving the ghoul for his transgression and whisking them all away in a flash of blue light.

Without a crew to slow the descent, the stolen Vertibird plummeted toward the ground, exploding into flames upon impact.

_ _

* * *

Arthur Maxson swore as he saw the Prydwen engulfed in flames as it careened towards the surface. This was his life’s work- everything he’d worked for, sacrificed for and bled for was diving toward the earth in a flaming heap. He’d seen the girl be taken by the courser- how they had gotten aboard to abduct her was beyond him, but it had happened, and he clenched his fists as he flew through the night sky. He was so close to his mission, too close to uniting the Commonwealth under Brotherhood rule... they just needed to see.

The elder needed a minute- he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to deal with this right now. All he could think of was that in his twenty years, he had never seen something so _disrespectful_\- the institute would pay dearly for their reckless behavior. Enraged, he flew off towards Cambridge- there was an outpost there and he could take some much needed time to regroup and get his thoughts together.

_ _

* * *

“Miss me?” I asked as we tumbled on the floor of the police station in a heap. Piper, Nick, and MacCready were guarding the three brotherhood members that we had initially saved when we came to Cambridge the first time. When I spoke, they looked over and their faces twisted in horror as I stood up and they noticed my bruised and battered appearance.

Piper looked at me, face ashen. “Blue! What the hell happened to you!”

MacCready frowned and his finger twitched near his pistol- the men on the floor visibly began to pale. “Yeah, Princess, I’m kinda interested to hear this tale myself- what happened to you?”

I frowned. “Well, these are the jerks responsible,” I spat. “Thanks for a _very_ enlightening introduction to your crew,” I said to the tied-up people. “Awesome experience, totally recommend it. Your elder gets top marks for hospitality- I’ll be sure to leave him a great review.”

“Elder Maxson wouldn’t do that!” the Paladin cried. “He’s honorable!”

“Well, I’m a victim of his honor, I guess,” I snarled. “I guess it’s ok if he just sanctions others to beat the shit out of people, then?”

“Danse, I would let it go if I were you,” the woman said quietly. “She’s been through enough.”

“As have we, Haylen!” Danse yelled. “I will not let this woman who got what she deserved for hanging around synths and ghouls slander the name of the elder!”

X6 stared at the man and cocked his head. “He is extremely hostile- Ma'am, I know you prefer to allow them to remain free, but I think it would be best if we take this one back to the Institute for reprogramming.”

Hancock looked at the courser with confusion. “Excuse me?” He turned to all of us. “Sunshine, you got any idea what he’s talking about?”

I shook my head. “Nope, not a clue. X6, you all right?”

X6 nodded. “I am perfectly fine- I was just noting that it appears that this synth is not your friend, ma’am.”

Everyone, including the prisoners, turned to stare at X6- in an instant, the police station fell completely silent. I placed my hand on the courser's arm. “X6, can you explain what you mean by that? I think we all need a little more information.”

He looked at me with confusion, as if he was explaining something to a small child. “It is a synth, ma’am. These two are human, but he is not. I did not adequately read him during my first pass in the station- I apologize for my error at the time.”

“Oh ho _ho_!” MacCready chortled. “So the zealot is an abomination! That’s the best news I’ve heard all night! Deacon,” he said, laughing, “you have to work that into one of your stories!”

“No one would believe it, kid,” Deacon said with a smile. “That story is just too crazy- like most of the shit that happens with your crew.”

“Welcome to the club, _abomination_,” Hancock said with a smirk. “Still so eager to exterminate everyone, or does that shit stop when it’s too close to home?” Now almost all of the misfits were laughing- only me and X6 remained silent. I was too busy watching the face of the Paladin and his companions- the girl next to him wore an expression tinted with compassion, but the other male’s face was twisted in rage, trying desperately to get away from his former brother.

Danse, for his part, was morose. “No... it can’t be... I am a brother! I can’t be...”

My head was spinning. “Guys, stop,” I said softly, but they couldn’t hear me over their laughter. “Guys...” I tried again, but it was no use- they were oblivious. “_Guys_!” I screamed. At my outburst, the laughter died, and I was able to look at Danse, who looked like his world was falling apart. “Are you ok?” I asked softly.

“Princess, we gotta work on this. He. Just. Tried. To. Kill. You.” MacCready said patiently. “You have to stop befriending things that want to shoot you... no offense, X6.”

“No offense taken, young one,” X6 said. “I have never tried to harm Grace, so this statement does not apply to me.”

“Danse, it’s ok... you’re ok,” I said quietly, trying to calm the panicked brother. I turned to Haylen, hoping his companion could talk some sense into him. “Haylen, you still care about him, don’t you?”

She nodded. “I do, yes. He is still my brother-in-arms.”

“_I DO NOT! HE IS AN ABOMINATION_!” Rhys roared. “All of you, perversions! This-“ Rhys didn’t get any farther, as MacCready used the butt of his rifle to hit him in the head. The Paladin went out cold- his body slumped forward, and we all breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank fucking god,” Deacon said. “About time that jackwad shut the hell up.”

Just then, the radio on the desk began to squawk and come to life. _“This is Elder Maxson calling to Cambridge forces. En route and requesting clearance to land. Do you copy?”_

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Hancock growled. “I thought we got rid of that man!”

"Ugh, that fucker is like a goddamn radroach." I glanced around at my friends, nervous. “So, what do you think, guys? Do we fight or run?”

“Misfits don’t run, Gracie,” Nick said, eyes hard. “Let’s see how tough that sonofabitch is when he meets the family.”

"That settles it then." I sighed- as I glanced around the room, a plan was slowly starting to take shape in my head. “We gotta uncuff them, guys- Mac, give me the keys or I’m gonna have to pick the lock."

“Guess you’re picking,” Mac said, “Cause I ain’t got the keys and I wouldn’t uncuff ‘em even if you paid me.” He sat back in the chair and folded his arms, glaring at me. “Have at it, Princess.”

“Fine,” I said, huffing. “If you're determined to be an asshole, move over and let me work.”

“John, you want to stop your wife from unchaining the crazy murder cult?” Nick asked, turning to Hancock. “Might not be the best idea from where I’m sitting.”

“I don’t want any trouble,” Haylen whispered. “I... just want to go home.” She turned to me, tears in her eyes. “I never wanted any problems for you and your family, Grace- all we did was send your records to the Prydwen, I swear.” She swallowed and turned to look at Danse, who was hanging his head. “Danse, look at me, please.”

The Paladin refused. “I... am unworthy,” he said, shaking his head. “I am not worthy of your affection, Haylen... or of the rank I wear. I deserve death for my transgressions- this is unforgivable.”

“Look here- you're an idiot, but you don’t deserve to die,” I said in exasperation as I worked to unlock Rhys’ cuffs. After fumbling with the lock, I finally unattached the man from Danse, and the paladin slumped to the floor. His dead weight sent Haylen lurching forward, and instinctively Danse reached out to catch the squire- I smiled at them. “See, you still care, Danse,” I said gently. “This changes nothing-“ Hancock scoffed, and I chuckled. “Well, admittedly, it means you should stop calling everything abominations, but other than that, you’re still you.” I worked on the other set of cuffs, and Rhys was now separate from Haylen and Danse. “Ok, we can cuff that asshole again, guys- he’s dangerous,” I said. “I just want these two.”

“Finally, you’re making sense again, Princess,” MacCready said. Before he could move, Piper had gotten up and re-cuffed the knocked out man. “Kinda quick with those cuffs, Pipes- got something to tell me?” Mac said with a smirk as he watched her.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she replied coyly.

“Oh my god, my ears!” Hancock said, clapping his hands to the sides of his head. “Too much information, way too much!”

This was a circus- we had things to do and a zealot on the way. “Focus, people!” I said, clapping my hands- my friends stared at me blankly, but thankfully, they shut up. “Haylen, can you get on the radio? Tell that asshole he’s clear to land.” I turned to everyone else. “If he doesn’t get a response, he’s gonna know something’s wrong over here and he’ll be on alert before he lands.”

“How do you know she ain’t gonna rat you out as soon as she gets on that squawk box, Gracie?” Nick asked, eyeing her nervously. “She ain’t exactly shown that she’s the most trustworthy of folks.”

“Because we aren’t going to rat out Danse,” I said. The scribe stared at me in shock and I nodded. “Look, I said to her, “I’m not his fan... at all. But I’m also not trying to murder the man. But once Rhys wakes up, it’s two against one.” I shrugged. “Make Rhys look crazy or kill him if you want- no skin off my back. But either way, I’d highly suggest you two high-tail it the hell out of here after you meet with King Psycho if I were you. So,” I said, gesturing to the radio, “Can you send the message?”

She nodded and approached the radio, Danse quietly following as she grabbed his hand. “_This is Scribe Haylen, Elder Maxson,” she said. “You are clear to land.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: I can't believe this whole thing has been written- we now have a story with 34 chapters and the epilogue! 
> 
> Now to edit these last five chapters and not whiff the ending... no pressure. *sigh*


	31. Misfits, Assemble!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Misfits stand up for the commonwealth and welcome their new member; Hancock does some maneuvering

_ _

* * *

I stood on the roof with a handcuffed Haylen and Danse and watched as the Vertibird sailed towards the station. The lone black vehicle whipped the air, sending my hair into a frenzy and causing me to shiver, despite the heat from my bruised face. I turned to Scribe Haylen and she shifted her eyes to me, her lips pressed in a tight line. “Do you think this will work? It’s risky,” she whispered. 

_No shit, captain obvious._ It was taking all the willpower I had not to roll my eyes- I had run low on fucks to give and she was scraping on my last nerve. “Well, considering the alternative is we murder you all in self-defense, I’d be doing my damndest to make sure things stay social,” I growled softly. “So I’m only seeing the upside for me right now.”

“You should have just killed me,” Danse said quietly, rubbing his wrists nervously. “Once Maxson finds out, my life is forfeit anyway.”

“Then make sure he doesn’t find out... or find you,” I said pointedly- for any other person, I may have been a bit more compassionate, but this group had stretched my limits thin. I blew out a breath, willing myself not to snap at him. “Go and make a new life- preferably one that doesn’t involve you being a dick, Danse.”

“I can help,” Haylen whispered. “That is... if you want me to.” Her cuffed hand reached for his fingers and when I looked back at them, I noticed he didn’t pull away. 

Finally, the Vertibird touched down and Elder Maxson stepped out the vehicle, flanked by two guards. I gave a subtle nod, and his mouth fell open when he saw me. “Grace! What are you doing here?” He broke out into a smile, which made me want to throw up- I wished Hancock was next to me, but I had to press on, despite how I felt, so I stared impassively as the young man continued. “We saw the courser take you from your quarters-“

_My quarters? Oh... this bastard means my cell! _Fuck this- I’d had enough. “You saw my friend rescue me,” I said curtly. “Look here, Maxson- I’m here to chat with you, leader to leader, nothing more. If any of you try anything, I will take you out,” I said with a growl. “And considering how many of your troops used to be here when my team came to get me, you should believe me when I say that.”

“Interesting,” Maxson said, rolling his eyes over me with a condescending smile. “If that’s the case, why are there some of my members alive to greet me? Shouldn’t you have eliminated all survivors?” 

I shook my head. “The Misfits of the Commonwealth don’t work that way, Maxson.” I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him. “Crew!” I said, and slowly, my friends emerged- Nick and Hancock walked up from the doorway, standing on either side of me, Piper and Mac peered out from the sides of the building, Deacon, who was standing beside Haylen, took off his helmet, and X6 shimmered into view next to Maxson, staring down at the young man. 

“These are my friends, Maxson. These are my family,” I said sharply. “I don’t know what it’s like in the Capital Wasteland, and honestly, I don’t care. Here, we work together- Minuteman, ghoul, human, synth... it doesn’t matter,” I said tersely. “We don’t run and we take care of our own. You took me, and they took yours- you shot mine, they shot yours. Don’t test my generosity any further- the only reason you’re still breathing is that they-“ I pointed to Haylen and Danse- “suggest you have the capacity to see reason.”

“I”m listening to your proposal,” Maxson said quietly. “Though I can’t imagine how amenable you expect me to be to anything after your _crew_-“ he spat the word out distastefully- “destroyed my ship.”

After the little welcoming party that I had been given on board that ship, I was _pissed_. “Well your crew destroyed my _face_,” I said angrily. “You’re lucky you’re still breathing.”

“We can still change that, Sunshine,” Hancock growled, placing a hand on my hip. “Ain’t too late to remedy that little error.”

I smiled and kissed Hancock on the cheek, never moving my eyes from Maxson. “My husband is still a bit miffed from you shooting him, it seems,” I said plainly. “Maybe I should get all of Goodneighbor to help us handle it,” I said evenly. “Considering the Brotherhood did just shoot their mayor.” I placed my finger on my swollen cheek. “I’m sure the Neighborhood Watch might take a slight issue with that. Plus, I think the rest of the Minutemen may have some concerns about your crew beating on their general, Maxson.”

“Same goes for the Railroad,” Deacon said, his stolen plasma rifle leveled at the paladins. “They’re still a little pissed at these tin cans for barging in at Bunker Hill. Might make them interested in helping you out a little, Grace.”

“Diamond City might be fairly agreeable to helping out too,” Piper said, her pistol trained on Maxson’s chest. “Seeing as how you saved their finest detective a few times. Besides, having the press on hand doesn’t exactly hurt,” she said with a smirk. “Kinda nice to have the voice of the Commonwealth at your disposal.”

“I’m pretty sure you could call in the Gunners too, Princess,” MacCready said, his rifle aimed at the escort to the right of the elder. “Seems like their new leader owes you a favor or two after you saved him from a courser.” He grinned. “No offense, X6.”

“No offense taken, young one," X6 said, still focused on the Elder with a cold, flat stare. "I also think the Institute would be amenable to assisting with this request, as they interfered with their operations.” He didn’t turn his attention away from Maxson. “It would seem that you have most of the major factions in the Commonwealth eager to assist you, Grace.”

“It would appear so,” I said to X6, staring at the elder angrily. “Still not feeling amenable, Maxson?”

The young man paled. “You’re bluffing. You can’t possibly-“ 

“She can,” Hancock said. “You can test us if you like, but I’d take one look at that barbecued chicken of a bird you got in the old airport before you go doubting what she can do. And that’s just us, scrambling.” He fixed Maxson with an evil glare. “Imagine what happens when _she_ decides to get involved with the planning.” 

Maxson stood silent for a moment, debating inside his head. “What do you want, Richards,” the young man asked quietly. 

“You... out of the commonwealth,” I said with conviction. “We can handle ourselves here- we don’t need you,” I spat. “Pull out whatever troops you have left and get the hell out of our town.”

He tried a new tactic, fixing me with a large fake smile. “Grace, don’t you see? If we joined forces, we could be-“

I held up a hand to silence him. “Maxson, I’m about to be one pissed off general, and these people are about to lose an elder,” I said quickly. “I’m a little fucking hormonal and I’ve had a spectacularly shitty day so far, so I would highly suggest you cut your losses, man.”

“This isn’t over,” he said, eyes full of fury as they gazed across my friends and family. “The brotherhood-“

“Better get the message,” I said, crossing my arms. “I'm not interested in anything you’re selling. You went about this the wrong way, Maxson- now I'm done. All I want from you in exchange for your life is your retreat. Your people need a leader- leave and you can continue to be one.” 

The elder rolled his eyes and sighed. “It appears we must strike an accord, Ms. Richards.”

“Mrs. Hancock or General, Elder Maxson. Please address me properly.” I squeezed Hancock’s hand and he returned the gesture. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to clear out- unlike some," I said pointedly, thinking about my kidnapping, "_I'm_ not unreasonable."

“General,” he nodded his head as he turned around to head back to his vehicle. “I do not suppose we’ll meet again.”

“Let’s hope not,” I said. I turned to the two brotherhood members and began to uncuff them. “Haylen, Danse... you are welcome to take a moment and get your affairs in order.”

“Thank you,” Haylen said. Once free, she rubbed her wrist and looked to the young man. “Would that be acceptable, Elder Maxson?” 

Maxson shook his head in disgust, bowing his head. “I... do not care what happens to this hellhole right now. Do what you must,” he said. 

Haylen nodded. “Affirmative, sir.”

The Vertibird took off, and we all watched, eyes trained on the vehicle as it rose into the air and out of sight. When it had gone, Haylen and Danse took one last look at us and scrambled off into the night, not willing to test our generosity any further. Once they were out of earshot, I let out a breath I didn’t know I'd been holding. “Holy fuck, that worked!” I said, collapsing to my feet. “I can’t believe it fucking worked!”

“Why wouldn’t it, Sunshine?” Hancock said as he pulled me into a hug. “If you think about it, all of that was true- despite the odds, the misfits have shit handled out here.”

“Yeah, I guess we do,” I said, still in shock that our ragtag little group just ran the Brotherhood of Steel out of the Commonwealth. 

_Maybe we weren’t as fucked as I thought. _

—

After we left the police station we began walking back towards Goodneighbor. X6 offered to teleport us, but Tinker Tom immediately went pale and Deacon politely told us he’d had more than enough teleporting for one day and would be happy to use his legs. Considering I had spent the last few days in a cell and my bruises were quickly fading away, I wasn’t complaining about the fresh air. I was walking quickly but Hancock kept pace with me, holding my hand as we moved through the city in relative silence. Finally, he couldn't take the quiet anymore- he blew out a long breath and stared at me for a minute. "You alright, Sunshine?"

"I am now," I said, fingering my ring. "Thanks for rescuing me."

"Did you think I wouldn't? Sunshine, you're my wife- no matter what, I'm always gonna move heaven and earth for you." He kissed my head and smiled. "I know that I'm not the best person to ask about this, but ain't that what marriage is?"

For what felt like the first time in forever, I laughed. "Are we actually married? I thought we were just... you know," I bit my lip, trying to make sure I said the right thing. "Planning for it, I guess."

"That so?" He popped a Mentat and looked at me, a curious expression on his face. "What were you expecting?"

I scrunched my face in concentration. "I guess I was just remembering how it was the first time... I mean, it was a nice ceremony- looked just like what you'd find in a wedding magazine. The lawyer and the soldier, married in a church. I was wearing the big poofy white dress and Nate was there at the end, waiting for me in the suit."

Hancock smiled. "Sounds nice... but you don't sound so happy about it. What was wrong?"

"Honestly? I was lonely," I said finally, staring at him. "It felt like it was more for him than me- as far as Nate was concerned, I was an orphan, and no one out here really knew me all that well." I smiled sadly. "I just wanted to have people that loved me there to support me, tell me I was doing the right thing. I don't think I was ever convinced it was a good idea- I just wished I could've talked to someone, you know?"

"So," he said carefully, "do you think we're doing the right thing now? Is this what you want this time?" 

"Hancock, I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend the rest of my days with," I replied sincerely. "You are, hands down, the best thing to come out of this whole thing, and I wouldn't trade you for anything- if I could, I'd shout it from the rooftops and let everyone know you're mine." I grinned. "Apparently, I snatched a hot commodity off the market, so I guess I can turn the question back to you- are you sure _you_ want this? Forget about me- look how much shit has changed for you these past few months... kinda makes me feel like I turned your world upside down."

"That you did," he said with a smile. "But I wouldn't trade you for all the chems in the Commonwealth," he said, squeezing my shoulder and tracing his fingers over the stones on my hand. "I want this more than anything. You're mine, Sunshine," he whispered, sending a chill down my spine. "And I want the world to know it."

\--

As the city drew closer, I realized it was time to have the conversation I had been dreading. X6 had proven invaluable to me, but I couldn’t be naive- he was still a courser, and he could turn on us at a moment’s notice. I knew it was time to talk when Hancock broke off to talk to Deacon, Tinker Tom, and Nick. Since Piper and Mac were lost in their own conversation, there were no more reasons to stall. _Stop being a baby_, I thought. _Just because you might not like the answer doesn't mean you don't ask the question_. Resolved, I squared my shoulders and tapped the synth on his shoulder, determined to resolve this one way or the other. “X6, I said, “can I talk to you?”

“Of course, ma’am,” he said. “What would you like to talk about?” He cocked his head, studying me with curiosity. “Do friends often have random conversations with no discernible cause?”

In spite of myself, I laughed. “Yeah, they do. We like knowing what goes on with each other- it helps us understand how people are feeling.”

He nodded seriously. “Then that is something we should do, ma’am. If that is the case, how are you and the child feeling right now?” 

“Um... that certainly is a topic.” I squinted at the courser, dumbstruck at his direct question. “The baby and I are fine, I believe. But I'm curious- how do you know about that?”

“Good,” the courser said, matter-of-factly. “The ghoul informed me. I cannot reveal the reason, as he asked me to keep it a secret- apparently friends keep secrets,” X6 said. “But since we are also friends, it means I am free to inquire about such things with you." He looked at me with approval. "Ma'am, I have decided that I like this friendship thing. It is... freeing to choose which orders one may respond to.”

“I’m glad you feel that way, X6,” I said carefully. “That’s actually what I wanted to ask you about. I was wondering…” I paused for a moment, unsure of how to bring this up. “What would you say if I told you I‘m not going back to the institute?” 

The courser paused for a bit. “Is this something you are likely to say, ma’am?” He paused for a moment as if he was thinking. “Now that you mention the matter, I was thinking something similar, as I would prefer not to return - I find it preferable to travel with your group.”

I looked at him, shocked. “I’m glad to hear that, but why?”

The courser _shrugged_, and the gesture was so human that I laughed out loud. “Traveling with your group has been much more enlightening to me. Plus,” he said thoughtfully, “I have a request from the ghoul that I would like to complete, but I would be unable to do if I returned.”

I patted his arm and he smiled back at me- the expression was so out of place on his face that I stared at him for a moment before smiling back. “I’d like you to stay if that’s what you want. But if you do stay,“ I said, “you can’t go around returning people to the institute, X6. The Misfits of the Commonwealth don’t believe in that.”

Thinking about the name MacCready had initially tossed out as an offhand comment made me smile. It was appropriate- individually, we had been hated by almost everyone, but together, we were turning into the leaders of the Commonwealth, and the idea boggled my mind whenever I thought about it. Then I realized that I was being presumptuous, and turned to the synth. "That is if you want to be one- If you do, then the Misfits would be happy to have you, X6.” 

X6 regarded me with interest. “Yes, I would like that, ma'am." Then he paused, looking as if he was remembering something. "In addition, I have decided that if the ghoul is able to be both a ghoul and a good person, then I can be a synth and a good person.”

“X6, you and John are definitely good people,” I said, squeezing him around his waist.

The courser stood still for a moment, thinking, then turned to me. “Why do people do that, ma’am?”

“Do what?” I asked curiously.

“This show of physical affection,” he said. “I see you perform them with your friends and they return these gestures to you. However, outside of my contact with you, I have only experienced interactions like this with the ghoul.” 

“You... you’ve hugged John?” I asked, trying to hold back my laughter. “How did that come about?”

“I did as you showed me, ma’am. I performed the hugging maneuver when he was leaving my presence.” He thought for a moment, then frowned. “However, I was unable to do so on the Vertibird when we rescued you, as I was in stealth mode and it would have drawn undue attention. I fear I may have to make up for my transgression.”

My lips twitched- I decided my life would not be complete until I saw this firsthand. “I’m sure you’ll have another chance, X6,” I said, patting his arm. 

“I certainly hope so. I wish to be as proficient as you with practice,” he said solemnly. “Since we share a secret, would it be acceptable for the ghoul to be my friend, ma’am?” 

I worked to put on my best serious face. “Of course, X6- why would that not be acceptable?”

“Because we are already friends by proxy, but I think I would like to be direct friends with him. It makes the sharing of secrets and hugs easier,” he said seriously. “Plus, I have a request from you to keep him safe. That is a friend-type request, is it not?”

“I don’t see anything wrong with that at all,” I said with a smile. “X6, it's my pleasure to welcome you to the Misfits,” I said. “Would you like a hug?”

“I would like that very much, ma’am,” X6 replied.

_ _

* * *

“What the fuck is going on here?” Fahr asked as the crew approached the gates of Goodneighbor. “I swear, every time you leave out of here and come back, you pick up even more goddamn strays!” 

“It’s a gift,” Hancock said as the crew filed into the statehouse. “How’s it been?”

“Other than a standoff with those Brotherhood dipshits, pretty quiet. KL-E-O was kinda pissed she didn’t get to shoot any of them, though.” She stared at her dad, who finally looked like himself again. “Got your vaultie back and all is right with the world, huh?"

Hancock shrugged. “Something like that,” he said, laughing “Look, Fahr, I got something I want to tell you, and I want you to know before I tell everyone else.” She stared at him and he chuckled nervously. “Can I ask that you leave your weapons with someone though?” He smiled at the redhead. “Not tryin’ to get shot or stabbed today.”

“Shit... what did you do?” Fahr said, setting down her knife and gun on one side of the porch. “Best you’re gonna get,” she said- the ghoul laughed. 

“Just gonna say it- I’m marrying Grace,” Hancock said nervously, debating how she was going to handle this part of his news. “And you’re gonna be a sister soon.” After he spoke, Hancock stared at the girl and tried to gauge her reaction. Fahr was just looking at him as if she was struggling to process what he was telling her- she opened and closed her mouth a few times, turned towards her weapons, then turned back to him. Once again, she started to say something but closed her mouth over and over and again, still not finding the words. Finally, she just sat on the steps and Hancock sat down next to her, placing his arm on her shoulder. “The vaultie, huh?” Fahr said, shaking her head. 

“Yep,” Hancock said. “We good?”

Fahrenheit looked at her father- for the first time in a while, he looked relaxed and content instead of manic or on edge. He hadn’t even taken a chem and yet he looked serene, waiting for her answer. Since she had come to him in Goodneighbor, it had been the two of them, but they were more like friends than father and daughter. He wasn’t there for her growing up, and he knew she was well within her right to be angry with him about it- to be honest, she was better off without him in her life as a kid. But while he couldn’t do anything about the past, he wanted a better future this time, starting with being upfront with his daughter, even if she shot him for it. Finally, she looked down at the band on his hand and raised an eyebrow. “That why you been sportin’ the fancy jewelry?” 

“Yep,” he said. “You still ain’t answer my question, Fahr.” 

“That depends,” she said quietly. “You stickin’ around?” 

He smiled at the girl, understanding what she was asking. “We gotta deal with a few more things, but yeah, I’m sticking around- I’m the mayor,” he said, patting her shoulder. “Can’t leave the people to deal with you forever- I’ll come back to a riot.” He gave her a soft squeeze- for a quick second, he saw her she smile before planting her patented scowl on her face. “Plus, who else has enough balls to stop me from spoiling that kid rotten?“

“That’s true,” she said with a smirk. “You’re too soft a touch sometimes- someone’s gonna have to put that kid in its place- can't have a spoiled little brat running around town. It's bad for business.”

Hancock laughed, grateful for the way the conversation had turned out. “Thanks, Fahr. Means a lot,” he said.

“Whatever,” said the redhead dismissively, rising from the steps and collecting her weapons. “I’ll believe this shit when I see it.”

_ _

* * *

Nick was not comfortable with this idea at all. He tried to tell Hancock that his plan was crazy, but he had asked him to do it for Gracie, so he tried valiantly to ignore the feeling that this was a terrible idea and that he was going to die. Ever since he woke up in that trash can, he’d worked hard to avoid being in the grip of a Courser- now he was willingly traveling with one. _My life is taking some strange turns,_ he thought. 

The voice of the courser shook him out of this daze. “Are you ready, Nick?” X6 asked. “The ghoul has requested we undertake this mission quickly. Outside of Grace, you are the most diplomatic and respected member of the group- there is no one better suited to take on matters such as these.”

“Sadly, I can’t argue with that,” Nick said wearily. “Let’s get this show on the road before I change my mind.”

X6 frowned. “We are not going by road, Nick- we are teleporting. Did you forget the necessity for speed?”

The detective sighed- this was going to be a long trip. He took a moment and counted to ten- he knew it wasn't X6’s fault, but the conversation set his nerves on edge regardless. “It was an expression, X6,” Nick said as he closed his eyes, grabbing the courser’s shoulder. 

Just then, Grace walked up, smiling at the two men. “Hey guys,” she said, giving Nick and X6 hugs, which made the detective smile despite his frustration. “So, what’s going on?” She stared at the two synths. “What’s got you two hanging out?”

“We have an errand to run, Grace.” X6 replied. Nick rolled his eyes- an answer like that was just going to invite more questions from her and he had no idea how the courser would handle them. _Well_, he thought, _I’m not the one spilling the beans- John can try his hand at scolding the synth. _

Grace fixed Nick with a hard stare, but Nick wasn’t going to break, not this time. “Do either of you fine gentlemen care to have a drink with me?” she said finally. 

Nick frowned. “No drinks for you, sweetheart.” He jerked his thumb towards the doctor’s office. “Anyway,” the detective said, trying to change the subject, “aren’t you supposed to be getting a workup? Making sure all is right in the new world?” Nick didn’t know what X6 knew, but it wasn’t his place to tell her secret. 

She nodded. “Headed that way now, but whatever you guys look like you’re about to do seems like it’s gonna be a lot more fun than being a human pin cushion.” She looked around, scanning the area. “Speaking of, have you guys seen John? If I gotta do this, he should be subjected to it too.” She gave an evil little grin. “Comparison data and all that.”

Nick laughed and patted her on the arm. “You go and be good for once, Gracie. If I see John, I’ll make sure he turns up for a test or two.”

She laughed and hugged the detective. “Thanks... sure you don’t want a tag-along? Promise I won’t start drinking,” she said with a smirk.

“Sorry, no can do. Tests first, fun after.” Nick looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned. “Well, technically I think you and John had all the fun first, Gracie, so it’s time to pay the piper- go get your tests, ok?”

She stuck her tongue out at the detective, and he laughed, ruffling the hair on her head. “Fine- be like that, old man. I’ll just sit here, miserable...” she batted her eyes at the detective and leaned against him. Nick sighed- he had a soft spot for her, and she knew it. _Nope, can’t give in- this is for her own good_, Nick thought. He wondered what would have happened if he and Jenny had kids- would they have wrapped him around their fingers as Gracie had? 

“Ain’t working this time, sweetheart,” Nick said, bopping her on the nose. “I got work to do with your friend over here.” He paused, thoughtfully placing a finger to his lips. “How about I escort you for an appropriate drink later. How’s that sound?”

“It’s a date,” she said, waving to the two as she skipped off towards the Memory Den.

As Grace headed off, X6 looked at the detective, who was shaking his head in amusement. "I find your interactions amusing, Nick," the courser said matter-of-factly. “It appears that you are quite fond of her."

Nick nodded. “I suppose I am. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be headed with you out to Sanctuary on a mission that’s sure to give me a headache.”

X6 cocked his head at the detective, the confusion apparent on his face. “But you are a synth- you do not get headaches.”

Nick just sighed, placing his hands to his temples. _Not his fault, not his fault..._ “Again, it’s an expression. Unless you like being confused all the time, you got a lot to learn, son.” He placed a hand on the synth’s arm. “Now, enough chit-chat. Time to go and handle this before I change my mind.”

X6 nodded and the two men disappeared in a flash of blue light.

_ _

* * *

MacCready wandered over to Daisy’s shop, where the old ghoul was just opening up for the day. “Hey beautiful,” he said. “Got any news for me?” 

Daisy leaned on the counter and smiled at the baby-faced merc. She did have news for him, but she hadn’t seen him in a minute, suspecting he’d been hiding in case the cure didn’t work. “I sure do, kid,” she said, smiling at the merc. “Got something for you."

“For me?” MacCready said with a grin. “Daisy, you shouldn’t have- I didn’t get you anything. Now I feel bad.”

“Stuff it,” she said, handing the merc a piece of paper. “That’s for you.” Dogmeat wandered out, curious as to all the commotion, placing his front paws on the counter and wagging his tail. Daisy smiled at the dog, giving him pets. She’d normally be offended by him hopping up where she had just cleaned, but today it was ok- he probably wanted to see this, too. 

“What’s this,” MacCready said, slowly opening the paper, eyes not leaving the old woman. 

“Open it up and look for yourself- wasn’t mine to nose around with,” she said with a shrug. Smirking, as usual, the kid opened the paper and suddenly he let out a strangled sob, his hand flying to his mouth. His eyes filled with tears, and the paper slowly fluttered out of his hand. Daisy watched as the crayon drawing gently dropped to the counter and she grabbed it, folding it neatly and sticking it into the kid’s pocket.

There was none of his usual bravado left in his stance- MacCready just stood there with tears in his eyes, murmuring to himself. The ghoul and dog watched him for a moment, and then Dogmeat jumped up on the counter and began licking the tears from his face. The merc laughed between his quiet sobs, petting the dog and wiping his eyes. “He’s better,” he said softly. “My boy’s better, Daisy.” He looked at the old woman, a shocked expression on his face. “Thanks to you.”

This was one of the first times she had ever seen the kid express real emotion and the old woman paused, careful to let MacCready talk on his own terms. She shook her head. “I’m just the delivery driver. This was all you, son.” She walked around and patted him on the shoulder, leaning against the counter. “So, what happens now?” 

“I don’t know... never thought about the future before.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Never had a future before, I guess.” 

“Guess you do now, kid,” Daisy said with a smile. “Get outta here, kid... go tell your friends- quite sure Grace is gonna want to see that picture of yours.”

When Daisy mentioned her name, the kid’s eyes went wide. “Oh, sh-shoot- Grace! That’s why I was here in the first place, Daisy.” MacCready grinned sheepishly. “The mayor sent me over to ask if you could come over and help with something tonight.” 

Daisy grinned- Hancock planning anything was sure to be interesting. She knew that most of the time he just went with whatever sounded good, but when he decided to put a plan together, there was usually a method to his madness. “Sounds like this might be interesting. Whatcha think, boy? Should we help out John?” She turned to the dog, who wagged his tail and woofed in agreement. “Well, since my partner agrees, it looks like we’re in,” she said with a chuckle. 

_ _

* * *

Piper was resting on the couch inside the statehouse when Hancock found her. The ghoul tapped her on the shoulder and she looked up, startled to see Hancock grinning at her. He sat on the arm of the couch, draping himself across the furniture with a flourish. She rolled her eyes at him in annoyance, but he could tell there was no venom in it- at this point, the action was more out of habit than anything else. “What’s got you so happy,” she asked suspiciously, sitting up and staring at the mayor. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Lots,” he said with a grin, gesturing at the bag that was sitting at her feet. “How much paper you got in that bag of yours, Wright?”

“Enough,” she said, eyeing him warily. She knew enough about the ghoul to know that he didn't do too much of anything without a purpose. Considering he barely spoke to her in the first place, there had to be a reason for this impromptu chat. “Why- what do you have planned?”

“Not much,” he said casually. “Just seeing if you wanted to get in on a story.” The ghoul shrugged. “Figured I might want to capitalize on my fame from your last issue... give the people a little more of what they want.”

Now Piper really knew something big was going on, and he had more than piqued her interest. “I’m listening,” she said. "What do you need, Hancock?"

He grinned at the reporter. “How would you feel about helping Sunshine get ready for a surprise date tonight?”

This was not the answer she was expecting- she raised an eyebrow at him, confused at the apparent simplicity of the request. “A date? With you?”

“Well, she’s about to be my wife,” he said with a smirk. “So unless you got the scoop on something I don't, I’d hope it’d be with me.” She snorted and he smiled. “Figured you and Daisy would know all about making a gal feel special, and I'm smart enough to know when to bring in the experts.”

Finally, she laughed. “When you’re right, you’re right, I guess.” She looked at him curiously. “What are you playing at, Hancock?”

He mimed zipping his lips. “All I’m saying is that's my girl, Wright- let’s get her all dolled up and show everyone in town why.” He grinned. “If anyone can do it, it’s you and the old woman, Wright.” 

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Hancock.” Then she frowned, but there was no ill-intent behind it. “You aren't telling me the whole story. You say you want me to convince Blue to scrub up and put on a dress, knowing how much of a pain in the ass she's gonna be?" Hancock didn't respond- he just smiled. Realizing he wasn't going to tell her anything more, she sighed. "Fine..." she said, pointing a finger at him, "but only if you tell me the real reason. You're up to something, and I want to know what it is."

"Fine... guess this is what I get for trying to slide one past a reporter." He smirked at the girl, settling in on the couch next to her. "But remember, you asked. And," he said seriously, "make sure you keep your trap shut for the next few hours, ok?"

_ _

* * *

“Dez,” Deacon said casually, “I think we need to take a trip on down to Goodneighbor this evening.” He looked between Desdemona and Tinker Tom, struggling to figure out which was more likely to lose their shit first. Desdemona looked like she had no interest in anything the spy had to say, and Tinker Tom looked like he was trying to find the nearest hole to crawl into. Eventually, Tinker Tom cleared his throat. “Look, Deacon… the last time I went out with that crew, we ended up in a crash-"

“Which you caused,” Deacon pointed out. “And her crew saved us all, don’t forget.”

“Besides the point,” Tinker Tom said. “But still, after that, we ended up in a face-off with the Brotherhood leadership-“

“Which she kicked out of the Commonwealth,” Deacon added. “Sounds like they’re two for two over there to me.” He sighed. “Look, the mayor is just asking to meet with you guys over drinks. And after as much traffic as we ran through that town, we owe the man that much.”

Dez raised an eyebrow. “Since when did you become so gung-ho for those misfits? Thought you couldn’t stand working with them?”

“Never said that, Dez,” Deacon said, shaking his head. “I thought they were crazy, yeah. As a matter of fact, I still do. But,” he said, walking over and leaning on the desk, staring at his nails, "they’re loyal as hell to each other. And we all know Grace is down for our cause, so we should make nice and play along.”

"But Grace isn’t asking us- Hancock is.” Dez stared at her hands, her expression oozing boredom. “So, why am I wasting my time here? I've got a ton of other shit to do and playing around with Hancock and his cadre of idiots isn't my idea of an ideal way to spend an evening.”

The spy let out an exasperated sigh- no matter how much he had tried to avoid it, he'd grown fond of the ragtag bunch. To his surprise, her dismissive tone was setting him on edge and he fought to keep his temper in check. “Look, Grace and Hancock are attached at the hip. You make him happy, you make her happy.” Taking off his glasses to clean them against his shirt, he gave the woman a look. “If you must know, the mayor has a plan and wants to meet you. This meeting is the best way to keep the cover intact. Plus, what do you have to lose, Dez? A few hours?”

She matched his sigh with one of her own. “Deacon, if you’re fucking with me-“

Deacon gave her an easy grin, pleased to see he was wearing the woman down. “I’m not, Dez. Trust me, we need to go over there.” He clapped her on the shoulder. "Today is gonna be important, man- the mayor ain’t my biggest fan, and he reached out to me specifically to ask for the Railroad to be there. I say we don’t squander this opportunity, Dez."

Frustrated, she sighed and packed her things, hoping that the spy knew what he was doing.”This trip better not be a massive waste of my time, Deacon.” 

He smiled at the lady. “Trust me Dez- if it goes down the way I think it is, this trip is certainly gonna be interesting."

_ _

* * *

“How’s she doin’, Doc?” Hancock asked as he walked into the Memory Den. "She been giving you any trouble while I was out?"

Doctor Amari looked up at him and I grinned at the question. After the doc confirmed what Hancock had told me, my first question to the doc was since my body filtered out radiation, could it filter out alcohol as well? Judging by her reaction, she didn’t appreciate my joke- she shoved a glass of juice in my hands and said if I wanted to drink, I could drink this. The juice was a piss-poor substitute for whiskey, but I’d deal- it was only for a few months, after all. She rolled her eyes as she grabbed another vial and prepped a syringe. “Your partner is a terrible patient, mayor,” she said, looking up from my arm. “But despite her best efforts, she is perfectly healthy.” She stared at me and shook her head. “I keep telling you guys, I’m not this kind of doctor- certainly hope you find someone to help you figure this out soon.”

I paused, thinking for a moment. “I wonder if mom can send dad- wait, no, scratch that. I’m not letting anyone in my family go digging around down there- I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a rusty spork,” I said with a shudder. “We gotta find someone here.”

“We’ll figure it out, Sunshine,” he said, kissing my head and grinning as he turned to Amari. “So is it official- am I gonna be a dad again?”

The doctor nodded and reached out to shake his hand. “Though this goes against everything that my training has ever taught me, all the numbers say yes. Congratulations, Mayor- never thought I would see the day that you'd be happy to find out such news.”

"You have no idea," he said, shaking her hand with a smile. “Thanks, Doc. You should come on by the Rail tonight- I owe you a drink... or three."

“Great, you guys just go ahead and drink in front of the woman who can’t. This sucks- X6 can make friends by proxy, but getting drunk won’t work that way. Figures.” I crossed my arms and glowered at them. “I hate everyone right now.”

“You’ll get over it,” Hancock said with a chuckle, kissing the top of my head. “Now why don't you head on back home and take a shower, huh? Since the bruises are gone and we know you’re fit as a fiddle, you may as well take a minute and get all scrubbed up.”

“That’s it! Everyone in this town has been cagey with me all day, and now you guys are doing it too,” I narrowed my eyes at him as I rolled down my sleeve. “What are you playing at, John?” 

He shrugged, not answering my question. “Guess you should go home and get cleaned up so you can figure it out, huh?”

_ _

* * *

_Almost there_, Hancock thought as he watched her storm out of the Memory Den. With a smile and whistle, he headed to the statehouse, pleased to see that everything was falling into place. If he thought about it, getting everything together was amazingly simple, even without any Mentats to assist him. Normally, trying to hide anything from Grace was about as impossible as trying to fight a Yao Guai with a rusty knife, but he was pleasantly surprised to see that everything had gone so smoothly. When he was sure she was upstairs and being detained by Piper and Daisy, he headed towards the safe where he had stored her phone. He hadn’t needed it since he got her back, and found himself wondering if he’d be able to use it one day to make a video of their kid, just like she had of her son. Hancock wanted to savor every one of these upcoming moments, and he didn’t want to hide anything... not anymore. 

However, he knew that if he wanted to have the future they deserved, the Institute needed to be out of the picture. Hancock was smart enough to know that the Misfits couldn’t do it alone- they needed everyone. Everyone had a reason to want those bastards out of here- he was sure of it. He knew that with the right words, the right moves, he could get them to agree, to do what the commonwealth hadn’t been able to do in years- he’d realized it when he saw her in action on that rooftop. The reason they couldn’t do it before was that they were missing something- they were missing _her_. 

But these were problems for later- tonight, it was time to celebrate. Smiling to himself, he opened the safe to grab the phone, but when he looked inside, he paused- he was sure there was nothing else in the safe when he shoved the device inside, but now there was a holotape with a note stuck to it next to the phone. Gingerly, he pulled out the tape and left the phone was inside. With a shaking hand, he pulled off the folded piece of paper and looked at the flowery script that was etched into the parchment. 

_Congratulations on helping her choose the right path- here are a few more reminders to show her that home is wherever she wants to be. _ _PS: Don’t be an idiot, John- leave the phone in the safe. You’re gonna need it later :) _

Hancock laughed to himself as he left the phone in the safe, making sure to lock it behind him. Shaking his head and smiling at his new life, he went to give the holotape to Kent and get ready for the evening. 

_ _

* * *

As soon as I stepped in the door, I was ambushed by Piper and Daisy and I turned to stare at the women. “What gives here, people? Why is everyone being all weird today?” The two women just looked at each other and scuttled me upstairs to the shower. Frustrated, I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t we have other shit we all should be doing?“

“She always this prickly?” Daisy asked, looking over at Piper- the reporter nodded, and the ghoul crossed her arms. “Look here, Grace,” the old woman said, "Hancock wants us to get you ready for a night on the town, so I figured we may as well lay it on thick- for once, you’re not in the middle of something, so I figured we’d do this right… show him how we used to do date night in the old days.”

Piper just grinned and opened the bathroom door. When she did, my mouth dropped open- there was soap, towels, perfume, and shampoo laid out in the bathroom for me. “My job was to put you in a dress and get you to not look like a dusty orphan,” she said, rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips. “Once you’re all scrubbed up, I can paint your face! I mean, me and Nat play around with this kinda stuff all the time- it’ll be fun!” She grabbed my cheeks and turned my head from side to side, squinting as she peered at my skin. “Glad we got you that stimpak- I was scared that asshole made a meal outta your face there, Blue. But now that all that swelling is gone, I can totally work with you."

_Stimpak... yeah, we'll go with it._ “Doubtful,” I said, but I was smiling. “I haven’t been dolled up in over 200 years, and I wasn’t doing all that hot in the sexy department before the bombs fell if we’re being honest. Being a new mom means makeup tends to take a backseat.”

“Then you deserve it,” Piper said. “It’s been way too long, and I’m just the one to help with this- I‘m a big believer in the surprise bombshell reveal,” she said, starting the tap and placing the towels on the sink. 

“What’s that?” I asked, pulling off my boots and handing them to Daisy. “Why do I get the feeling that it sounds painful?”

She laughed. “It’s a trick of mine- I can get downright dirty with the best of them, but when they least expect it-“ she mimed an explosion with her hands-“_BAM_! Devastating beauty, coming right up! Just add water, a brush, and a little bit of makeup,” she said with a wink.

“I'm sure you pull it off better than me, Pipes. Now since you guys have forced my hand, time for you to get out before I do a strip show for the both of you,” I said, ushering them out the door so I could undress and get in the shower, which was steaming and making me giddy with anticipation. 

\--

As I washed all the filth off my skin and hair, I took a moment to relax and process. Absentmindedly, I touched my soon to not be flat stomach and rubbed my hands over it in amazement. I had to only be a month or two, so there were no visible signs there, but I was dumbfounded just the same- there’s a kid in here, I thought. 

_And it’s probably a girl- the second one is always a girl. _

In spite of myself, I wondered what she would look like- would she look like me at all? Mom said she wished Sam and I looked like her, but we were pretty much the spitting images of our fathers, save the eyes and a slight tan. What did John look like, I wonder? I mean to me, he was handsome, but I found myself curious what our kid was going to look like, Would she have his smile? His hair? I wondered what it would be like to see my eyes peer out from a small tiny face, and I let out a small giggle. 

All of a sudden, a thought hit me like a bucket of cold water- _you still got another kid to deal with, remember? Or did you forget and hope he’d magically go away?_ Pausing for a moment, I frowned- I knew I had to deal with it, but I wasn’t a champion runner for nothing. Resolved, I turned off the water and wrapped myself in the towels, mind made up. _Screw it,_ I decided. _The institute isn’t gonna steal one more minute of happiness from me today. _

If Hancock wanted a date, then he’d get a date, even if I had to get plucked like a chicken to get ready for it. 

\--

“Ouch!” I said as Piper went at my eyebrows with a pair of tweezers. "That hurts!” 

I tried to put my hands over my face, but my friend just swatted them away. “Nope,” said the reporter, “I have done too much work for you to mess it up now. Just hold still! If you’d stop squirming the first time, I wouldn’t have missed that one!”

“But it’s just hair!” I pleaded. “It can stay- it wasn’t hurting anyone!”

Daisy sighed as she started unwinding the curlers from my hair. “You know, you could sit still and be grateful for a little bit, Grace. How about instead of fighting, you just sit still and let your friends get you looking pretty, huh? Ain’t every day we get to do it out here, you know.“

I frowned. “No fair using the guilt trip, Daisy.” The old woman gave me a look and I plopped against the chair, folding my arms. “Fine. Do whatever you want- I don’t care anymore.”

“That’s the spirit,” Daisy said, patting my shoulder and ignoring me. “Why don’t you just take a minute and focus on why you’re getting all dolled up instead of fighting us at every turn, huh?“ She held my hand and stared at the ring, smirking as she ran her fingers across the stones. “Thought I was on the list, Grace.”

“Daisy,” I said wearily, “I am so behind on that list that it ain’t even funny.” 

“No worries-I get it, Grace. Between all the chaos you and these boys been getting into, it probably ain't been top of mind.” She laughed and patted my arm. "Anyway, how’re you feeling?”

“Not looking to get into any more slapping matches any time soon, but on the whole, I feel a whole lot better,” As she held my face steady to apply eyeliner, I looked at the reporter, who was still in her normal clothes. “Piper, don’t you have to get ready too?” 

“Yeah,” she said with a grin. “But I’m working tonight- my look won’t be anything like yours. I’ll be ready like that,” she said, snapping her fingers. "Perks of being press, Blue.” I rolled my eyes and she gently slapped my cheek, laughing as she applied the finishing touches to my face. When she was satisfied, she took a step back and whistled. “Wow, Blue,” she said approvingly, "I’ve never seen you all made up before. You’re gonna start a riot tonight.” 

“Oh yeah, that’s so likely,” I said as Daisy removed the last curler and started fluffing my hair. “Like I said, it’s been a long time since I’ve been something a person would call pretty, Pipes.”

“Then I think it’s time you take a look in the mirror, Blue.” She smiled at me as I stood up. “That ghoul ain’t gonna know what hit him.” 

I knew it was cliche, but my hand flew to my mouth when I stepped up to the mirror. I was wearing a long silver dress Daisy had borrowed from Magnolia and a pair of light blue sandals, and instead of my unruly curls or the ragged braid I usually wore, Daisy had trimmed and curled my hair it so it hung in loose ringlets around my face. I had to give it to Piper- torture show or not, I was painted beautifully. I looked soft, natural, and... happy. It was as if I was back home with Sam, getting ready for a date, and the feeling made me nostalgic and sad, all at the same time. 

“Oh my god,” I said, “Now I have to try not to cry and ruin this... You two made me look like a movie star, guys!” I pulled the two of them in for a hug. “Why... what did I do to deserve this?” 

“I don’t know, saved Mac’s kid, took down the brotherhood of steel, saved a bunch of synths from slavery...” Piper shrugged. “I think you got a laundry list of achievements.” She hugged me tightly and whispered, “sometimes you just gotta take the win, Blue.”

—

We were walking towards the Third Rail when I saw Nick hanging outside the bar, waiting for us. “Gracie,” he said breathlessly as I approached. “You look amazing, kiddo.”

Piper and Daisy laughed and headed inside as Nick twirled me around in the sparky fabric, making my curls fly around my face. “I feel amazing, Nick. I don’t know what kind of date Hancock has planned for me, but making me look like this ain’t half bad,” I said with a smile. “Think he’ll like it?”

“Gracie, I think we’re going to have to pry him off you,” he said with a laugh, offering me his arm. “Care to let an old man escort you inside?“

“Nick, I would be honored,” I said as I wrapped my hand around his arm. “So, do you finally feel like telling me what’s going on?”

“I could, but that would ruin the fun, Gracie,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re about a few seconds from finding out, I think you’ll live.”

“You’re being mean, Nick,” I said, pouting. “Everyone’s keeping shit from me- I was finally able to figure out I was going out on a date after Piper and Daisy ambushed me. They’re my real friends,” I said pointedly, poking him in the side. "I thought you loved me," I teased the old man with a smile.

“You wound me, Gracie,” he said, kissing me on the forehead. When we approached Ham at the door, Nick whispered in my ear. “Just remember, this is all for you, so don’t kill him.” 

“Why would I -“ I paused as the sounds of “At Last” started to waft up from the bar. Incredulously, I turned to stare at Nick, but he refused to look at me, pulling me ahead with a smile on his face as we walked down the stairs, arm in arm.

_ _

* * *

Hancock couldn’t believe it- his plan had come together.

He was waiting on the stage in the Third Rail, with MacCready smiling by his side when she came walking down the stairs, looking more gorgeous than he’d ever seen her. Her curls bounced against her shoulders and the glittery silver dressed flowed behind her as she descended the stairs, staring out into the sea of friendly faces. Hancock wanted her to be able to have her family here, but seeing as getting ahold of her real family was nigh impossible, he decided to settle for the family she had created. Kent was manning the holotape her mom had sent with all the songs he knew she loved, in awe at the selection of new songs to play. Preston, Sturges, and Mama Murphy were sitting with Desdemona, Glory, and Tinker Tom. Dez didn’t look like she was plotting a takeover for once and Preston still seemed a bit shell-shocked from traveling by courser, which made the whole experience even more delightful for Hancock. Mama Murphy just sat at the table, drink in hand and smiling off into the distance ever so often. He waved at the old woman and she returned the gesture- he knew he owed a lot of today to her.

Codsworth was puttering around near the bar, assisting Whitechapel Charlie with the drinks that would start flowing soon, and Fahr and Magnolia were at a nearby table with Doctor Amari, Irma, and Daisy. To his surprise, his daughter looked happy, and he caught her eye for a moment, smiling at the redhead, who returned his gaze with a short smile instead of a frown. He chuckled to himself when he saw X6, Deacon, and Piper sitting at a table with a hastily scrawled note that said ‘Friends’ in big, bold letters on it. There was a stack of paper near Piper as she began to scribble furious notes while the courser stared ahead impassively, leaning down to ask the spy questions ever so often. Whenever he did, Hancock had to fight a chuckle as Deacon visibly jumped, making sure to plaster a large grin on his face every time he answered a question. 

But once that door opened, Hancock only had eyes for the girl walking down the stairs towards him, her green eyes scanning the bar in amazement as she took in all the people. Once she found him in the crowd, she smiled and her eyes never left his as Nick walked her to the stage to stand by his side. “John,” she whispered, taking his hand and glancing at the ghoul in the preacher’s vestments standing in front of them, “Did you do all this? How?”

“He had some help, Princess,” MacCready said, leaning over to hug her. “Seemed like a pretty good idea. Much better than a rescue mission, if you ask me.”

“I'd say,” she replied, kissing the merc on the cheek. The kid smiled as he walked back to Hancock’s side, clapping the ghoul on the shoulder. Hancock was in awe of his life right now- never in his wildest, Jet-fueled fantasies did he imagine he'd have the kid standing next to him as he prepared to show the world just how much he loved this woman. _I guess karma really is just bullshit,_ _cause there's no way I deserve this moment right now._

“And since you always said I’m like your dad, we figured I’d be the best choice to walk you down the aisle,” Nick said, squeezing her hand- she turned to the synth and hugged him tightly. “This is one of the greatest moments I've had in this life, Gracie, and I want to thank you for giving it to me,” he said softly as he moved behind the tiny girl. 

The only one who hadn’t said anything was Hancock- he didn’t have the words. He suspected shenanigans, had been expecting them since the tape popped up, but the only thing that he'd seen so far was that his coat and hat were shining- they looked as if they had been cleaned to an inch of their life, and they smelled of spices and flowers he couldn’t name. But he didn’t care- they could have been in tatters and Hancock still would have been happy. All he knew was that she was the most beautiful thing that he’d ever seen and he only had eyes for her- nothing else mattered. Shaking, he took her hands, feeling reassured by their warmth on his and swallowed, waiting for the preacher to start.

After nodding at the two of them, the preacher began the ceremony, which was thankfully short and sweet. When he got to the part of ‘does anyone have any objections,’ Hancock tore his gaze away from her long enough to glare at the Boy Scout, but he needn’t have bothered- both Fahr and X6 had shot up from there seats and were fixing the crowd with murderous stares. Trying to hold back laughter, Hancock and Grace urged the preacher to move on, and eventually, they got to recite the vows. He said the words with ease, but when it was her turn he scanned her face, terrified that she’d decide that she’d made a mistake and try to run away, but her face was resolute and happy as she pledged to be his for as long as they both should live.

After she did, he heard the words he never thought he would ever be lucky enough to hear, but they rang out in his ears, loud and clear- _"I now pronounce you man and wife- you may now kiss the bride."_ Hancock had never kissed her so fast in all his life, and the preacher chuckled at his zeal. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the preacher said as he extended his hands to the crowd, “It is now my pleasure to present... Mr. and Mrs. John Hancock.”

And with that, the room erupted with thunderous applause. 

—

Hancock knew he wanted this day to last forever, but this gathering had a point and it was almost time to get to it. However, he decided he could take a moment to just enjoy the evening. He was enraptured as he saw Grace flitting across the room- just as he knew she would, she was charming every person in the room. He watched his wife chatting with Mama Murphy and smiled to himself. _She deserves at least one day to be happy out here_, he thought. _The world can give us this, right?_

Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed a man had come up to him. Surprised, he looked over and saw Preston standing to his right. “Boy Scout,” Hancock said, inclining his head to the man, not sure where he was going to take the conversation. 

“Mayor,” he said cordially. “Looks like I have to say congratulations to you and the General today.” Preston’s eyes trailed off at the girl, who was trying to show the others a dance that went with a song she had started playing and having minimal success teaching Mac and Piper the steps. “She looks happy,” he remarked quietly.

“I think she is, Preston,” Hancock said with a smile. “Man, I can’t believe that’s my wife over there,” he said, shaking his head. “I keep thinking I’m gonna wake up soon.” He offered the minuteman a drink. “Thank you for coming,” he said seriously. 

“Well, it’s not every day you get a _request_-“ he said that last part with air quotes-“from a courser and Detective Valentine to come to a wedding. Didn’t seem like I had the option of saying no,” he said with a grin. Hancock smiled back- for all their spats, he knew the man cared about Grace, and he could respect it... as long as Preston stayed in his place. 

“Yeah, well, I kinda needed you here, Boy Scout,” Hancock said, fingering the rim of his glass. “I hate to bring down the party, but I needed everyone here to plan out our next move. Figured this would be the perfect cover, just in case we got any spies about.”

Preston raised his eyebrow, staring out at Deacon, who had joined the crew on the dance floor and was mirroring Grace's moves flawlessly. “Aren’t you working with a spy, Mayor?”

“Yeah, we got a legitimate spy and a courser in our crew, but they ain’t the ones I’m worried about,” Hancock admitted, laughing to himself as he took a sip of his drink. “Never thought that I’d be saying something like that on my wedding day.”

“Never thought I’d see your wedding day,” Preston admitted. “What’s this next move?”

Hancock sipped his drink, staring at his wife as her laughter rang through the bar. “Get the leaders and the crew together to figure out how we can take out the Institute, once and for all.“ Preston looked startled, but Hancock stared at him evenly. “I figure the minutemen have a plan, and I know the Railroad does. I want to hear all my options before we settle on one.”

“That... actually sounds reasonable,” Preston said slowly. “What do you need?”

“A few more minutes like this and one dance with my wife,” Hancock admitted. “Then, do you mind helping me get the others out of here while we wrangle everyone else into the VIP room?”

“Done,” Preston said with a smile. "Consider it your wedding present."

_ _

* * *

One of my favorite songs had begun to play the radio, and I paused, relishing in the memories it brought to mind. As I smiled to myself and looked out across the bar at my friends, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I leaned over and found Hancock, smiling at me. “Can I have this dance?” he asked softly.

“I don’t know,” I teased. “I might have to ask my husband about it. I hear he’s a bit possessive.” 

“Sounds like a really lucky guy,” he said as he pulled me close to him. “Tried my best to make this one better than the first one for you,” he said into my hair. "I hope you’re happy, Sunshine."

“I don’t think I could be happier,” I admitted. Then I pulled back and stared at him incredulously. “Wait- you planned a wedding in a day? That’s impressive, John- in my day, these took _months_!” 

“Then you guys were wasting time- wasn’t much to it,” he said. “Besides, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we need to talk to these people anyway.” He spun me in a circle, watching the dress billow out to the side. “Figured I may as well do one thing for us before we go saving the Commonwealth again.”

I sighed. “Never ends, does it?” I draped my arms around his neck. “You know what? I’m going to pocket that for a moment if you don’t mind- I’m dancing with my husband right now.” I smiled and stared up at him, trying to save the moment into my brain. I felt a twinge of sadness at the fact that I couldn’t have a picture of the wedding I wanted, but ultimately it didn’t matter- I had him, and that was all that counted. 

“That you are, Sunshine,” he said with a smile. “And I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” He glanced over at Piper, who was dancing with MacCready and gazing into his eyes like there was no one else in the room but the two of them. “And she’s got the scoop on the best day of my life.” 

“You did promise her,” I said, laughing at the memory. “Looks like you delivered.” I smiled with amazement as we swayed to the music, lost in each other and realizing this was the start of the rest of our lives together. “God, I love you, John- seriously, this was the best surprise.”

“I love you too, Grace Hancock.” He smiled at me, shaking his head. “Grace Hancock... That’s the best thing I’ve said all day- I think I could get used to it.” 

"You better," I said, kissing him gently. "Partners forever, remember?"

_ _

* * *

Nia looked over at Sam, who was snapping photos left and right. “You get everything?” she asked the younger girl with a grin. “I think you’ve taken a gazillion photos by now- is there any room even left on that phone?” She waved at the old woman sitting at the table, who smiled back. _I wonder if she'll get the chance to Grace we're here_, she thought. 

“Very funny, mom- I got it all,” she said happily. “This was the wedding she should’ve had the first time,” Sam said resolutely. “You gotta admit, it’s funny,” her sister mused. “Same circumstances, different reaction entirely- this time, it's real- she’s happy and she wants to be here. ”

“Well, everything works out how it’s supposed to,” Nia said with a grin. “You should probably put those photos into an album for her- she'll want a reminder when all this is over. Plus, you know her dads are gonna want to see these pictures.”

Sam nodded. “I just wish we could have talked to her today- you know, let her know we were here for her.” She let out a sad sigh. "I want to be there, mom."

"I do too, hon. But like you said, it's about her today, not us," she said as she hugged the young girl. "Showing up would just cause more problems than it solves. Besides, John knows we know- he'll tell her."

"I guess," she said sadly. "It's just I haven't talked to her in so long- I miss my sister. " She snapped a few more pictures, then frowned. “Mom, there's just one thing I don't get- why did you let him do this so early?“

“I didn’t _let_ him do anything- I just placed the suggestion in his head... just like X6,” Nia said with a smile. “Sometimes all people need is a nudge- they can usually find their way from there. He was a quick one- didn't expect him to do it in a day, but hey, when it works, it works.”

Sam bit her lip, looking like a mirror image of Grace. “But couldn’t this wait till after they do what they needed to do?”

Nia shook her head. “She’s got a really hard choice to make, and sometimes the right choice is the selfish one, Sam." She looked at her daughter, who was dancing with her husband and looking as if she didn't have a care in the world. "In her case, it needs to be crystal clear what she’s fighting for. And they,” Nia gestured to the people in the room who were oblivious to their presence, “need a reason to help. They have to believe that people can change- not only that, they need to _see_ that things can change.” She shrugged. “And if I can show them what they need to see _and_ give my daughter what she wants, then that’s what I’m gonna do, no questions asked.”

“You’re kinda scary sometimes, mom,” the young woman said with a grin.

“You get used to it,” Nia said as she smiled at the newlyweds.


	32. Two Truths and a Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truths are shared and discoveries are made

_ _

* * *

The people in the room had dwindled to the Misfits, Fahrenheit, Preston, Sturges, Tinker Tom, and Desdemona. Hancock wanted nothing more than to kick everyone out and take his wife to their room, but he knew the second part of the evening was just as important. As much as he might want to ignore the situation, he knew this drama had to end, one way or another. “Thanks for coming, guys,” he said, taking Grace’s hand in his. “Sorry to rain on the parade, but we all know there’s still some business that we gotta take care of out there.”

Piper frowned. “Is this really what you want to be talking about on your wedding day?”

“Not really, but it seemed like the best way to get everyone here without folks getting suspicious, Wright.” He smiled sadly. “Can’t complain about the reason, though.” Hancock kissed Grace on the cheek, then turned to the crowd and placed his hands on the table. “But enough about us- we gotta figure out what to do about the Institute. X6,” he said, turning to the courser, “those are your people- I understand if you don’t want to be involved in this.”

X6 stared at him resolutely. “Ghoul, I cannot complete my secret directive if I am not involved in discussions like this.” Hancock put his head in his hands as everyone in the room turned to stare at the courser, their expressions ranging from surprised (Grace) to horrified (Deacon). _This is my fault,_ he thought. _Looks like it’s time to spill the beans to everyone._

“X6, when you have a secret, it’s not a good idea to go around mentioning you have one,” Hancock said, shaking his head at the courser. “Nothing to worry about, guys- I asked X6 to keep a secret for me. Looks like we gotta work on the finer points of that.”

“What is he talking about,” Deacon asked nervously. “I’m not down with the courser having a hidden agenda- sounds kinda bad for my life expectancy. So, I think you might want to give us a little more to go on than that, Mayor.”

Hancock rubbed his temples, then sighed. “We were gonna wait till all this was over to tell you guys, but guess we gotta spill it now.” He smiled nervously at Grace, who gave him a confused look. When he shifted his gaze to her stomach for a moment, clarity flitted across her face and she nodded. Secure in the knowledge his wife wouldn’t murder him for sharing, Hancock cleared his throat. “Looks like we’re gonna have an eighth member of this crew. Ninth, if you count the dog, I guess.”

The silence in the room was deafening. Hancock had never been happier to have talked to Fahrenheit earlier in the day because he was pretty sure she would have murdered them both on sight if she’d found out like this. As it was, Piper and Mac looked like they couldn’t decide if they wanted to congratulate or kill them, and he was pretty sure Preston was having a fit right in front of him- he reached out and gave the Boy Scout a glass of water. The rest just looked shocked, so he continued. “So... yeah.” He turned to X6, “I asked him to keep Grace and our little one safe at all costs- that’s the deal.”

X6 frowned. “You and I no longer share a secret, ghoul. That is disappointing.”

Hancock laughed. “Trust me, I got another one for you if it makes you feel better.” He got up and leaned towards the synths ear, and the courser stared ahead impassively as he talked. “X6, I’m gonna tell you something that I’ve only told Sunshine, ok?” He swallowed, forcing himself to share the hard truth again. “Look, my real name is John McDonough, and that douchebag mayor of Diamond City is my brother.”

“That is a worthy secret, so yes, that will do,” the courser said, nodding before settling back into his chair. “Thank you, ghoul,” he said solemnly. “I will follow the requests of the Misfits, as I am a Misfit. This makes the wishes of the Institute irrelevant.”

“Was this what we had to do all along? Make friends and share secrets with the murder machines?” Deacon asked under his breath. “What’s next, staying up late to braid each other’s hair? Might have saved us some trouble if you’d told us these tricks earlier, Grace.”

Grace ignored Deacon. “So, John,” she said softly, placing her hand onto her husband’s. “What’s the plan?”

Hancock looked at Desdemona and Preston, choosing his words carefully. “You guys are leading two of the most powerful factions in the Commonwealth. I know you have to have some plans about how to handle the Institute.” He looked at Grace, “Look I know he’s your-“ He stopped short and caught himself, figuring this wasn’t common knowledge yet and this might not be the best way to break it to the group at large. “I know it’s a tough decision, but the Institute has to be dealt with. It ain’t safe for our kid to grow up like this.” He watched as she cast her eyes downward, but to her credit, she didn’t say anything.

The merc looked thoughtful for a moment. “Or mine,” MacCready said. “I want to be able to bring my boy back here, and I don’t want to worry about someone snatching him... or replacing me with a copy.”

“I got family here,” Piper said. “And I want to keep them safe. The people of the Commonwealth need to feel protected, but the Minutemen are back,” she said resolutely. “We don’t need the Institute- we can save ourselves.”

Hancock turned to Grace, pleading. “What do you think they’d do to our kid? I ain’t trying to lose any of my family to those fuckers, Sunshine.” He was willing to take on an army to protect them all- he knew if the Institute got the chance, they would try to destroy his wife and kid or make them a living science experiment- either way, he couldn’t let that happen.

X6 nodded morosely. “The ghoul is right, ma’am. The odds of the survival of the offspring are not high if captured by scientists. They would most likely wish to-“

Nick touched the courser on the arm. “That’s enough, X6.” The detective turned to the group. “I’m not a fan of what they did to the original Nick, and I’m all for doing whatever is gonna save my daughter and son-in-law over here,” he said, smiling at Hancock and Grace.

Fahrenheit, who had been twirling her knife absentmindedly, looked at her father. “I say let her blow that bitch up. Institute ain’t been shit but trouble since day one.” She lowered her head. “Ain’t like I’m too keen on them fucking with my family either.”

“The Railroad is itching to take these bastards down,” Desdemona said angrily. She then folded her hands and looked at Deacon, who simply nodded. “Look, we have a man on the inside,” she said resignedly. “We can try to get as many people out of there as possible before we do anything. But he’s only communicated with Tinker Tom via encrypted messages- we’ve never met him. If we do this... we can get him to get us an agent on the inside so we can launch a rescue mission.”

“Why do I get the feeling when you say ‘people’, you only mean synths?” Preston said, looking angrily at Desdemona. “We got an obligation to get rid of that place for everyone, once and for all. If we go in there, we save whoever we can, but I want that terror obliterated.”

Dez looked at Preston, her expression cold as ice. “No one said I wanted to leave it standing, Minuteman. I just want to give folks a chance to get out before I remove that shitstain from the Commonwealth,” she said after a moment.

“There aren’t just synths there, guys. There are people, with families, living their whole lives.” Grace said, finally involving herself in the conversation. “Are we much better than them if we destroy innocent people too?”

"Did you just-“ Dez looked at Grace with hatred in her eyes, but Deacon put a hand on the woman’s arm to slow her down. “They were willing to destroy the Railroad and the people of Bunker Hill just for helping us. Did you forget all about that?”

His wife looked admonished but fell silent. Hancock wanted to comfort her, but he couldn’t- Dez was right. He sighed. “Look, let’s put this to a vote,” he said. “All in favor of getting rid of the Institute?” Slowly, he looked around the room, only to find that everyone except Grace had raised their hands... even X6.

MacCready looked at the courser with an expression of surprise. “X6, not that I mind your choice at all... but why would you want to get rid of the Institute?”

The courser stared at the kid. “Because they stand against the codex of the Misfits, young one. They will hurt Grace and the offspring, which goes against the request I have to keep them safe. In addition, they would hurt the ones she and the ghoul call friends, and since those would be my friends by proxy, I am obligated to help. Therefore, the logical conclusion is to remove them from power and leave them in a position where they are unable to cause problems for others.”

Preston nodded. “I agree with the robot. I say we blow their reactor and send that whole place up in flames.”

Everyone else nodded in agreement, but Grace just sighed. “This kind of thing is easy for you to say- you’re all fighters and soldiers. I can’t just condemn a whole group to die, guys- I don’t want to be responsible for the deaths of innocent people.”

MacCready leaned over and hugged her. “Princess, I think that one, either way you choose, that’s gonna happen, and two, you’re just as much a fighter as the rest of us. You ain’t just a lawyer anymore, _General_.” He sighed. “Look, in the end, it’s gonna come down to who you think deserves to live more, and if I have any say about it, my family comes first, always.” The kid wrapped her in his arms, and she collapsed against the man who had become her brother, looking exhausted from the gravity of the decision. “They made their choice when they sided with them in the first place,” he said. “All we can do is try to help the ones who want to be saved- everything else is on them. Remember that fact and keep it close when it starts to hurt, cause I’m not gonna lie, Princess- it’s gonna hurt, and it’s gonna hurt a lot in the days to come.“

MacCready pressed a toy soldier in his sister’s hands and stared at her, his eyes heavy with knowledge. “Just do whatever you can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

_ _

* * *

Later that night, instead of being entwined in my husband’s arms, I was standing on top of the ruins of C.I.T, waiting to speak with Shaun. X6 agreed to teleport back and tell him that he had finally located me and I was willing to meet with him, so I was out here on the rooftops, freezing and desperate to talk some sense into Shaun. I found myself hoping that nothing had happened to the synth- despite the odds, I had grown fond of X6. He may have been a courser, but he was also one of us- I wanted to make sure he was safe.

Just as I was starting to panic, the smell of ozone wafted through the air, and Shaun appeared in front of me in a flash of blue light with X6 standing at his side, motionless. “Mother,” he said wearily. “You were supposed to return after your mission.”

“I never agreed to that, Shaun,” I said softly. “Plus, I got kidnapped by the Brotherhood of Steel. I’ve been busy.”

He nodded. “So I heard. X6 told me he had to save you... with the help of your husband.” He looked at my ring and scowled. “Did you think we didn’t know about that?”

“I wasn’t hiding it, Shaun,” I said softly.

“Had he not interfered with Institute business, you would not have been captured by the Brotherhood in the first place,” he said angrily. “That ghoul should be eliminated, Mother.”

“Watch your tone,” I said sharply. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw X6’s fingers twitch slightly and I wanted to smile. “That’s my husband you’re griping about, Shaun.”

“Whatever, Mother,” he said exasperatedly. “I have more pressing concerns right now than you engaging in dalliances that are beneath you.”

“You sound like Elder Maxson,” I growled. “Things didn’t go that well for him, Shaun- remember who you’re talking to here.”

Unabated, he continued as if I hadn’t spoken at all. “Mother, I need to know- were you the reason our whole operation fell apart? Did you inform the Railroad we were coming?”

If looks could kill, Shaun would have been dead and buried. “I don’t know, s_on_... when did you let me out of your sight so I could tell them? X6 was stationed in my doorway every night. I know you already asked him if I left, so why are we having this conversation right now?” I glared at my child, seething with rage at the whole conversation- though I was lying through my teeth, my anger was quite real. “And besides, the Brotherhood ambushed an operation that was supposedly so secret and well-planned. So while you’re out here trying to pin this on me, maybe you should look around and see what else is going on, huh?“

Shaun sighed. “I do not wish to argue with you, Mother. But if you are going to take your rightful place as the new director, you are going to have to give up your... associations with the ghoul.” He shuddered. “We can’t have those abnormalities inside the Institute, no matter how docile you think they may be.”

I fought to not to strangle him right there. Here was my son, calling my husband and his new sibling an abnormality, something to be discarded like trash, all because of the short-sighted Institute. I hated them so much- they stole my life and then made it so my new family was in jeopardy at every turn. But, bigoted or not, he was still my son, so I tried again. “Shaun, don’t you think we can come to some agreement? Can’t we be better, live in peace with the surface? The world isn’t the same as it once was, you know.”

Shaun shuddered. “You’re right, Mother. It’s worse. All this lawlessness and devastation, this murder and recklessness... seeing it up close makes me more convinced the only solution is to remain underground.” He looked at me impassively. “They will die out up here, taking their horror and pestilence with them.”

I shook my head. “And how does that make us any better? You’re proposing we see injustice and turn our backs on those we should help, Shaun?”

“Don’t you see, Mother? We will remain healthy, making progress, thriving... We just have to be patient- over time, their ilk will just... fall away, and we will be the phoenix that rises from the ashes of this husk of civilization. We just have to be the ones strong enough to persist.” Shaun took my hands, pleading. “We are the ones to make a better world, one that mirrors our people and values. With you as the director, you can guide the Institute to its ultimate destiny.“

“Shaun, I don’t know if I want to be the director,” I said carefully.

“But you have to,” he said softly. “I’m... not long for this world, Mother. I’m afraid my time is almost up, and I want to secure my legacy before I pass- I want it to go to you.” I stood there, open-mouthed, and he smiled as if he was giving me a great gift. “All that is left is to eliminate the Railroad- you have thankfully removed the Brotherhood from the equation. Just handle that upstart faction and remove yourself from the ghoul, and we are set, Mother.”

Shaun turned to the courser by his side, his face serious. “You will assist her with her mission, X6-88.” Then he turned to me, patting my shoulder. “Mother, come see me when you’ve eliminated the threat, and we can talk about the succession. I’ll see you back at home.”

He left in a flash of blue light and I fell to my knees, crying- there was no room to stall anymore, as Shaun had played his hand. I was either to eliminate the Institute or my friends- by leaving, he had made sure that he would know I was responsible if the Railroad survived. If it weren’t for the fact that X6 was on my side, my son had signed what would've been my death warrant if I went against his orders. This was it- I had to make a choice. Finally, I managed to choke out words. “He’d kill me, X6,” I sobbed. “For the Institute, he would kill me and the baby. I’m his mother, and I don’t mean anything to him. I’m just... a variable,” I said bitterly.

“Don’t cry, ma’am,” X6 said quietly. I tried to say something, but I just continued to cry while X6 just stood there, placing his arm around my shoulders. “Thanks to you, I do not obey orders if I do not agree with them, and I find his last order distasteful, as it involves hurting those we consider our friends,” he said softly. “That order would also mean destroying you and the offspring, which I will not do. So, let us return to the ghoul and make a plan, ma’am. There is no need for us to remain here any longer.”

And with that, X6 whisked me away in a flash of blue light.

_ _

* * *

The rest of the Misfits were in the stateroom with Preston, Sturges, Tinker Tom, and Desdemona, going over the plans that the two inventors had spread out over the table. Hancock felt like his eyes were burning- they had gone over plan after plan, and he had to stop himself from banging his head on the wall as the boy scout and Dez continued to bicker back and forth about what he considered to be inane logistical concerns. All he wanted was to go with his wife and keep her safe, but unfortunately, he had to play along in here, which was making him more irritated by the minute.

After a particularly frustrating exchange, MacCready rolled his eyes at the two leaders bickering about something stupid, miming putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger. Hancock let out a soft snort and scratched his forehead with his middle finger, making the merc grin at him. He realized that though Mac was a right bastard, he wouldn’t trade him for anything right now- the kid’s antics were the only thing keeping him sane in the midst of all this crazy. Since he knew Dez was right, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to pay attention- they were only going to get one shot at this, so he was willing to do anything he could to make it count.

When he smelled the ozone, Hancock was surprised to see Grace streak past everyone with tears on her cheeks. They all stared at her as she ran to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. He hadn’t smoked recently- she said the smell of nicotine made her nauseated lately, so he was cutting back, but right now he’d give damn near anything for a cigarette. Figuring he should get the details before he went to her, Hancock popped a Mentat and looked at the courser. “What happened, X6?”

X6 looked morose. “He ordered her to eliminate the Railroad and disentangle herself from you, ghoul. He returned to the Institute under the assumption I would assist her with the order.”

Everyone in the room turned to look at the courser, but MacCready was the first to speak. “And cause you’re a Misfit,” he said with a smile, “you told him to fu-screw off, right, X6?”

X6 offered a rare smile in return. “I did not get the chance to say such a thing because it would have jeopardized the mission, but the intent was there. Once he had left I told Grace I will not obey orders I find distasteful, and I do not agree with that request as it would hurt my friends.”

MacCready patted the courser on the arm. “Then you did exactly what a Misfit’s supposed to do- good work, X6.”

Hancock smiled in relief. “Thank you, X6- I appreciate you keeping my family safe.”

“It is not just for you, ghoul- she is my friend and I will protect her,” the courser said seriously. “However, it does appear that she is in conflict right now and needs company. But after our initial conversation, I do not think it is me she is looking for at this point in time.”

Hancock started to move, but Nick put up a hand to stop him. “John, stay put- you have too much to do out here,” Nick said.

“Like hell,” he spat. “That’s my wife- I should be in there.” He turned towards their bedroom and listened to her sobs wafting down the hallway. “She ain’t doing too well with this, Nick.” He looked at Dez and Preston. “Look,” he said, taking his hat off and twiddling it in his fingers, “Maybe we need to come up with another way.”

Preston sighed. “Hancock, I wish we did have another way. But you and I both know that Grace is our only bet right now.” The minuteman looked grim. “I don’t like this any more than you do, you know.”

Hancock bit back the urge to snipe at Preston, but just closed his eyes and sighed. “She’s gonna break, guys. I’ve seen her like this before- she ain’t ready to make a decision like this.”

Dez rolled her eyes. “Grace is going to have to get over it. We’ve all had to do things for the cause that we didn’t want to- it's for the greater good.” She looked down at her nails, glancing over a portion of the blueprint spread out on the table. “There is no other way- we can’t protect her from reality, Hancock.”

Just as Hancock felt his blood boiling at the woman, Nick put a hand on his shoulder. “Dez, I’m not inclined to agree with everything you’re saying, but you do have a point- there’s not another way except for her teaming up with the Institute, which we all know can’t happen.” He turned to the kid. “Mac, come on- I think it’s time you and I had a chat with Gracie.”

_ _

* * *

I was face-first on the bed, bawling my eyes out when I felt the mattress creak and a cold hand come to rest between my shoulder blades. I rolled over to see Nick, and I threw my arms around him. “I can’t do this,” I said, sobbing. “All those people!”

The detective patted my shoulder and gave me a soft look. “Gracie... I know I can’t say I know how you feel, cause I don’t. But... you mind if I tell you a story?”

“This should be good,” I said, sniffling. I turned to see Mac sitting backward on a nearby chair, his chin resting on the back of it as he watched us. I extended my arms to him, and he grinned, getting up and sitting next to me on the bed, wrapping his arm around me as I lay on his shoulder. “You know what this is all about?”

He squeezed me close and shook his head. “Nope. I’m just here because my sister needed someone and her husband couldn’t come. I’m the warm hugs by proxy,” he said, mimicking X6. I laughed in spite of myself, and he brushed away a trail of tears from my face. “S’ok, Princess... we’re here for you- right, Nick?”

“Always, Gracie.” He patted my leg and sighed. “Do you know what John and I were doing when we were supposed to be meeting you guys in Sanctuary?”

I shook my head. “You guys never told me, so I didn’t ask- didn’t seem right to pry.”

“Well,” Nick said slowly. “I was murdering a guy.”

MacCready looked at me, eyebrows practically in his hat. “Well, _that_ just took a turn,” he said, looking at the detective warily. “Um, Nick... should we _really_ be sharing tales about murder right now?”

“There’s a point, kid,” Nick said quietly. “The point isn’t what I did... it’s _why_.”

“Somehow, I think the point is _all_ the way in the Glowing Sea right now, cause I’m positive I’m missing it,” MacCready said. “Why did you and John go out and murder someone? Was that part of a male bonding thing I missed out on?” I giggled in spite of myself and turned to look at Nick, also curious where he was going with the story.

“The point,” he said, sighing, “Was that this guy killed my fiancée.” Mac and I were quiet- I didn’t know if the kid knew this, but if he did, he wasn’t saying anything. Stunned at the revelation, we just stared at Nick and waited for him to continue.

He looked at me. “For the greater good, I sacrificed my family. Back then, I thought duty was more important than anything, and it ended up killing the one thing that mattered most. Hell, when you think about it, the greater good ended up killing me too.” Nick rubbed his hands together and sighed. “It’s been over 200 years and I still think about my Jenny every damn day. And my point,” he said tersely, “is that if I knew then what I know now, I would have blown away that sonofabitch ten times over to have just one more _minute_ with her.” Nick turned to MacCready. “What would you do for one more day with your wife, kid?”

“Anything,” MacCready said honestly, squeezing me tighter. ”I’d give up everything to have more time with Lucy.”

Nick stared at me, expression hard. “Sometimes the greater good can sit on it and spin, Gracie. Sometimes, you just gotta do what’s right for your family. And blood ain’t always family- you know that better than anyone, don’t you? Worrying about everyone else is fine, but when it comes to family or saving those who don’t want to be saved, I’m gonna choose my family every time.” He put his hand on my leg. “Look, John knows that- he’s down there willing to blow up the entire Commonwealth to keep you and that kid of yours safe. Mac and I know that- we’re not putting the Institute above our family.” Nick stared at me and gave me a sad smile. “And, if you’re being honest with yourself, I think you know that too, sweetheart. Be honest,” he said softly, “you know your boy is gone and he ain’t coming back. But now, you got others to think about- what about your husband? What about that kiddo there-” he said, placing his hand on my stomach. “What about your family, Gracie?”

The detective sighed and looked at me with sadness in his eyes. “Like it or not, sometimes you gotta be a little selfish. Trust me,” he said wistfully, “It’s pretty hard to live with yourself otherwise.”

_ _

* * *

MacCready was the first to notice Hancock enter the room. “Finally decided to join us in here, huh?” Hancock nodded and the kid jabbed a finger in his direction. “Good, cause I’ve been waiting to talk to you guys together all night,” he said with a smirk, turning to poke at Grace. “You’re a jerk, Princess- you gave me cr-crud for not telling you about Duncan, and you go and hide a whole new person from me? I’d say we’re about even, don’t you?”

Hancock chuckled. “It was kind of a secret, kid.” Nick got up, moving to the chair as Hancock walked to the bed and sat down, reaching out for Grace. She smiled and snuggled up closer to him, burying her face into his chest. “Also, I had a lot of other stuff on my mind- had to pin this lady down first.”

“Fair enough,” the merc said. He turned to Grace, poking her side and watching her giggle, “So, do I have to call you Mrs. Hancock now, Princess?”

“Only if I have to call you Mr. MacCready,” she said, her face still buried in Hancock’s coat. “And last I checked, that sounds like you need to be wearing socks with sandals and yelling at kids to get off your lawn, so I’mma pass.”

The kid laughed. “Can’t believe I’m gonna be an uncle,” he sang. “And the Princess is gonna get _fat_!” He rubbed his hands together as she rolled over to punch him in the gut. “_Ouch_! Not my fault you’re gonna be as big as a super mutant,” he said with an evil grin.

“Well I’m gonna be a granddad,” Nick said with a smile. “Now we just gotta hide the booze for the next nine months and hope this one doesn’t take our head off for breathing funny.”

Grace turned her face up to Hancock, eyes finally bright again. “Dear husband of mine, are you just gonna let them talk about me like that?”

“Sunshine, even if you’re as big as a bus, you’ll still be gorgeous,” he said, kissing her on the forehead as she let out a fake gasp of shock and punched him lightly in the chest. “Besides, with three Hancock’s in one place,” he said with a smile, “there’s so much sexy in this room I’m surprised those two can stand it.”

“Oh my god, my _ears_!” MacCready said, jumping up and covering his ears with his hands. “Nick, c’mon- let’s get out of here before I lose all that _booze_ I worked so hard putting away,” he said with a laugh.

Grace swatted at the kid and Nick chuckled, patting her on the top of her head. “I think you’re right, Mac- wouldn’t want to make Gracie jealous, would we?”

“I got something even better for my wife if you two knuckleheads would hurry up and get the hell out of my room,” Hancock said as he leaned over to cup Grace’s face and kiss her lips. He could taste the remnants of her tears and he vowed right then to do whatever he could to make her forget, if only for a moment. “Make sure to shut the door on the way out, would you?”

Nick nodded and laughed. “I’d say be careful, but I think the damage is done.”

Hancock broke away from his wife long enough to shoot the detective a devilish grin. “No one ever said we couldn’t practice for a second, old man.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we're all pervs sometime, so if you want to know what happened on their wedding night, check out _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth_\- Hello, Mrs. Hancock (Chapter 16) is the companion piece that lets us be all nosy!


	33. It's not as simple as a boss fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to take the Institute down, but nothing is ever that easy

_ _

* * *

In the morning, I woke up to voices and a cold bed. I ran my hand over the empty spot where Hancock had been and took a moment to get my bearings- he'd left and gone downstairs. I wanted to stay in bed and just let the day pass me by, but the sound of agitated people and the smells of food coming from below were enough to make me throw off the covers and head downstairs. When I arrived, I found everyone in the living room and Piper smiled, getting up to greet me with a plate of food and a glass of juice. I thanked her for the food and frowned, staring dejectedly at the glass. “I wish I could still drink,” I moaned, flopping on the couch with my plate. “This would be so much easier if I was drunk as hell. I miss alcohol.”

Deacon laughed. “I think the mayor over here would blow up entire stockpiles of booze if he thought you were drinking, Grace. So how about you save the rest of us and just sip on that juice over there and pretend it’s everything you want and more?”

“Shut up- you’re not the one who has to go bomb a whole building. While being sick as fuck, mind you.” I sipped more of the offending beverage and groaned, moving my feet onto Hancock’s lap. “I don’t suppose there’s any way I can sit this one out and just cheer from the sidelines right?”

Hancock rubbed my feet as he ignored my protests, looking at Desdemona. “So what do we know, Dez?” I groaned in pleasure and he smiled at me, but somehow he managed to stay focused on the conversation at hand. “Right now we’re at a disadvantage- they’re onto you, and they want Sunshine to wipe you guys off the map.” He smirked. “At least you know your group ranks them sending a professional."

The Railroad leader returned his smirk and flipped him off. “Haha- very funny, Hancock.” Desdemona grabbed a pencil from her pocket and chewed it thoughtfully. “Like I said, we’ve got a man on the inside, and he can help us get our folks in there to help fight. We just need you guys to take down the first wave.” She turned to Preston, gesturing to an item on the document in front of her. “Can the Minutemen help us take out some of these blockers so we can get Sturges and Tinker Tom in place?"

Preston nodded, giving the plans on the table a quick once over. “We can do that. With the General and her team, we’ll have enough manpower to get in and eliminate any resistance. After Quincy, I never thought I’d see the day that the Minutemen would be anything more than a joke. ” He smiled sadly. “But now, we’re alive… we’re thriving, for goodness sake. And,” he looked at me, pride shining in his eyes. “The Minutemen are teaming up with the Railroad to destroy the Institute- together, we’re taking back our Commonwealth. You should be proud, General- it’s all thanks to you."

I swallowed nervously- this was way too much pressure. “I think you guys have a lot more to do with this than I do, Preston.” It was a struggle to keep it together- the more we talked about this, the more real it was becoming. I felt my stomach doing belly flops and I fought to keep down the juice I had just drunk. Trying to put on a brave face, I turned to the room. “Um, I don’t know if you guys have noticed this or not, but I’m not exactly hearty and hale enough to run around and deal with a bunch of bombs by myself, guys,” I said. “Who’s going with me?”

“Duh, Blue- this is a full Misfit mission,” Piper said proudly. “Between you and X6, we can go in and give you backup, while the Railroad can go and help the synths.” She looked at Hancock and Preston, who nodded. “This will give us enough time to rescue anyone else while they’re doing their thing, and Tinker Tom and Sturges can work on getting that reactor to blow.”

“Work on it?” Hancock rubbed his head. “Look, I’m getting a goddamn headache- everyone in this damn room says they have plans, but from where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re lobbin’ ideas and lookin’ to us to save your asses. Exactly how do you all expect to blow up a nuclear reactor? You planning on hacking it or something?" He glared at Preston and Desdemona, who looked sheepish. “I’mma need more to go on before I risk my family for this cockshit idea.” He crossed his arms across his chest, glaring into the room. “So, which of you has an answer for me?”

Tinker Tom looked around nervously and started fiddling with his helmet. “Well, I talked with X6, and it looks like the reactor is gonna be locked down. There’s a bunch of patrols that we need to take out,” he stammered, “but once we do, we can place a Fusion Pulse charge on the reactor, which would allow us to blow the building from a distance.” He looked at Hancock nervously. “I was hoping that Grace could go with Dez-“ Hancock gave him a murderous look, and the man hurriedly continued, “because with her relay chip she can teleport out after she places the charges! With all the sentries in the building, it would be _suicide_ to try to make it back to the relay room- she’s the best choice, Hancock… please don’t kill me!” He cowered in fear and Hancock rolled his eyes- MacCready chuckled.

“This is true, ghoul- though this is a direct path into danger, Grace is best suited for the mission.” X6 looked thoughtful and turned to me. “However, if we want to reduce the number of hostile synths throughout this battle and introduce other possibilities, it might be advisable to see if you can get Father to talk to you, ma’am. If he sees that your forces are superior, he may be willing to stand down in order to mitigate Institute casualties.”

_Just focus, Grace,_ I thought. _No feelings, just facts_. Dejected, I shook my head- I wished that I could get through to Shaun, but remembering how our last meeting went quickly disabused me of that notion. “Funny, I don’t see that as all that likely,” I muttered. “I think he’d be happier to see everyone burn than let them live on the surface.” Tears pricked behind my eyes. “He doesn’t give a shit about me."

Hancock placed a hand on my leg. “Sunshine, he’s right- you gotta try. You’re the only one who’d have a shot at getting him to talk to you. And like you said, you ain’t trying to kill anyone that we could save- we gotta speak to him.”

“We? You’re gonna go with me?“ The thought of him being in that place hadn’t occurred to me and instantly tore me up- what if they captured Hancock and tried to use him against me? We were about to have a family- what if something were to happen to him? “John,” I said in protest, “I can’t lose you.”

Hancock smiled. “You won’t, Sunshine- we’re partners, remember?” He leaned in and kissed me on my cheek. “Plus, he’s technically my stepson. May as well meet the family, right?”

_Shit... they didn't know that._ All of a sudden, the room got quiet- Preston was the first one to speak. “Excuse me?” The Minuteman stared at me through narrowed eyes. “You want to run that one by me again, General?”

Hancock held my hand tightly. “Yeah, Boy Scout, you heard me right- the director is her son. The Institute stole him and grew him up just how they wanted.” He sighed and his hand twitched- I could tell he wanted to grab a hit of Jet, but I noticed he hadn’t done that much since he told me about the kid. “We spent all that time looking for him, but it didn’t turn out quite how we planned.”

“That’s an understatement,” Preston muttered. Desdemona looked like she wanted to say something, but Deacon shot her a look and she angrily bit her lip. The Minuteman gave me a look filled with pity, and I found myself sinking further into the couch. “General… when were you gonna tell us? We could’ve… I don’t know… we could’ve done _something_!"

Everyone else stood there staring while Mac and Nick just gave me sympathetic looks, but no one spoke- I could feel them all judging me. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to run from the room and hide in shame, but Hancock held my hand, keeping me rooted to the couch. With every second, it felt like the walls were closing in around me- I could feel my face getting warm. Slowly, a tear slid down my cheek and I hung my head. “I’m so sorry guys,” I said. “This is my fault and I’m so sorry-“

Finally, Piper cleared her throat. “Blue, I need some air- can you join me on the porch for a minute?”

I nodded and got up to follow the reporter, staring at my feet the entire time.  
—  
“So you found him, huh?” Piper asked as I settled down on the steps next to her. “When was this?“

“I found out when they captured me and locked me up in the institute, Pipes,” I said slowly. “He chained me to a bed and wouldn’t let me leave… my very own son,” I whimpered. “It’s terrible- it’s like looking at Nate all over again every time I see him, and yet he didn’t even care that the Institute murdered his dad.” I looked at her face, and she was twisted with emotion. “Piper,” I croaked. “I feel like I’m about to fall apart.”

“Blue, why didn’t you tell me?” She looked like she was ready to cry. “Mac had to tell me what happened to you at the Institute. And just now, when I looked over at them, they didn’t look all that surprised to hear this.” She twisted her hands together, and I couldn’t tell if it was from anger or nerves. "I mean, I get why you wouldn’t tell Deacon, but it’s me, Blue! I thought I was your friend!”

“I never told Mac and Nick,” I said softly. “Hancock told them.” I looked at the girl and leaned my head on her shoulder- she tensed for a second, and I started to move away, but then she reached over and hugged me. “Look, I never mean for you to feel left out, Pipes.” I sighed, closing my eyes and feeling the breeze whip across my face. “It’s just... I can’t let you get hurt in my crazy shit, and if I can protect you from it, I’m gonna do it. Plus,” I said, “Mac would have my head if something happened to you.”

“I make my own decisions,” she said firmly. “Blue, you realize that this is the Commonwealth, right? This place is fucked up, and I’m out here with you guys because it’s the right thing to do- we all know that sometimes, that’s gonna be dangerous.” She stared me in the eyes and it felt like she was pleading with me to listen to her. "Mac can’t protect me from that and even though I know you want to, you can’t either. This is my home- I’m gonna do what I can to fight for my friends and family.” Then the reporter sighed. “And even if you don’t treat me like it sometimes, you’re my family too, Blue. So many of us have died out here that we end up making our family where we can.”

I looked at the ground, unable to accept the affection I didn’t feel I deserved from the girl. “Why are you so good to me, Piper?”

She sighed, squeezing me tighter. “Because no one believes in anything anymore,” she said wistfully. “But you do- you believe in justice, and even if I don’t agree with all of your choices, I believe in you. You don’t look to start a fight, but you can damn sure finish one. And, you don’t call people crazy when they fight for what they believe in,” she said softly. “I think you’re gonna change things out here, and I want to be with you when you do.”

I scoffed, and she looked at me with a soft smile. “I’m serious... Look at what’s going on in there right now,” she said, jerking her thumb at the statehouse. “I mean, we have the Minutemen built back up and ready to fight the Institute alongside the Railroad, and you got the mayor of Goodneighbor to settle down and have a kid. You even got all of us misfits to band together and take out the Brotherhood of Steel.”

“That wasn’t me,” I protested. “Hancock did that, Pipes.”

“And why did he do it?” Piper raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged, conceding her point. “Look, even if you aren’t doing something directly, you’ve made people hopeful again. Not only that, you gave some of us a reason to fight.” She looked at my ring, tracing her fingers over the stones. “Now we feel like we have a chance to win. And no matter what you may think, that’s priceless, Blue.”

_ _

* * *

“You ready for this, Sunshine?” Hancock asked. Grace clutched his hand tightly, trying to keep herself together, but he could see that she was close to falling apart. He and X6 were going to go with her to the Institute and meet with Dez’s contact. X6 was going to be in stealth mode- the courser was their ace in the hole, and he didn’t want to waste the advantage. His wife had been silent for a while, and he wished he could get through to her. He knew this whole thing was terrifying for Grace- he’d had plenty of practice with family members wanting him dead, but this was a new feeling for her and he wished he could change it. However, Hancock also knew that she had to be the one to do this. Shaun was her son, and she was the only one who might be able to reduce some of the carnage. Secretly, he was hoping that Shaun might change his mind when he saw that he was going to have a family again. Hancock wasn’t stupid- he knew the man wouldn’t give a damn about him, but hopefully, he’d care about his mother and sister.

_Sister_... that thought still made him chuckle. They’d shared a laugh about it as they lay in bed together on their wedding night- Grace said that the second kids were always girls, so she was operating on that until she heard otherwise. Hancock had laughed and commented that he must be destined to spend his life surrounded by beautiful women, and his wife had laughed so hard that it made her snort. He thought it was the most beautiful sound he’d heard after hearing her sobs upon returning home, and vowed to try to make her laugh like that for the rest of his life.

But as he stared into her solemn face, he realized he hadn’t heard her laugh or seen her smile since, and it made him worry even more.

X6 broke through his thoughts. “Are you all ready to travel?” Hancock looked at Grace, who swallowed and gave a small nod. There was no turning back- it was now or never. Taking a deep breath, Hancock looked at X6 and nodded to the synth, who proceeded to whisk them away in a flash of blue light.

—

The Institute was cold and quiet when they arrived. Hancock felt his insides tighten with every step they took into the room, and Grace was squeezing his hand so hard that he thought she was liable to break his fingers. He had never seen her this scared- Grace usually threw herself into whatever task that she was assigned with reckless abandon. She could be cautious, but he’d never seen her scared, which concerned him. When she didn’t move any further, Hancock realized it was serious and looked at the girl. Her face was ashen and her skin was clammy- the woman looked as if she was going to pass out at any moment. “Sunshine, what is it,” he asked. "Talk to me- what’s wrong with you?” Checking to make sure it was safe, he pulled her over to a corner of the room. He nodded at the shimmer that was hovering near his side, and X6 moved in front of them to stand watch.

“It’s real, John,” she whispered, eyes glassy. “I’m gonna have to kill my son.” She looked like she was trying to not pass out with every breath. “To save our kid, I have to condemn all these people to die...” Grace tried to crumple into a ball but Hancock stopped her, pulling her to his chest instead. “Oh god,” she moaned into his coat, “this is what she was talking about! This is the _price_, John!”

“Sunshine, calm down- what are you talking about?” Hancock pulled back a little so he could see her clearly- her eyes had gone wild, frantically searching the room. He put his hands to both sides of her face, forcing her to focus only on him. "I know this is bad, but I need you to pocket like you’ve never pocketed before, ok Grace?” He hoped that she could listen to him- anything was better than watching her come apart at the seams like this.

Right now, it wasn’t working- Grace was still on the verge of hysterics. “Mom warned me about this. She said I would have to pay a price to ensure my safety- she said I was the only one who could pay it. This is what she meant, John- If she didn’t hide our daughter from them while I was there, they would’ve never let me leave.” She swallowed. “John...the price was me having to destroy them later! Oh god,” she moaned, "this is all my fault!”

Hancock felt like there was lead in his stomach- he knew exactly what she was talking about and he knew she was right. However, the difference between Hancock and Grace was that he had no such qualms about destroying the Institute- if it was a choice between them or his family, he’d gladly reduce the whole thing to rubble without so much as a second thought. _That’s why she wouldn’t let me pay the pric_e, he thought. _I’d do it in a minute, but that’s not her- she’s trying to do right by everyone... and it’s killing her._ He realized he had to do something- Grace was dangerously close to a nervous breakdown at this point. “Sunshine, look at me,” he commanded, tilting her face up to him. “I’mma need you to calm down. Look,” he said, “You’re right- It’s not fair. You should have never been put in this position, and if I could take it from you, I would. But that ain’t the world we got- we gotta make a choice, and I’m choosing you and her, understand me?”

He knew what he was about to do was cruel and manipulative, but Hancock also knew he didn’t have a choice anymore. He stared in her eyes, willing her to focus through her tears. “I choose us, Grace. I’m so sorry to do this to you, but I have to ask you to choose us too. This here?” He put a hand on her stomach, staring her in the eyes and hoping she could see him right now. "This is us, right here. This is our daughter, and I need you to be a mom for her now, Sunshine. They already stole Shaun- don’t let them take her away from us, too.”

Her face twisted in pain. “Oh god, John...”

“I know, Sunshine... I know.” He stroked her hair and kissed her head, trying his best to keep his eyes from watering. “But I need you to be that mom right now, ok? I need that mom from Jersey who was willing to shoot Deacon for looking at her husband cross-eyed. I need the one who stood in front of an army of Triggermen with nothing but her words, the one who kicked the Brotherhood of Steel out of the Commonwealth, and the one who killed the bastard who shot me and Nate because she wasn’t going to lose any more of her family. That’s the Sunshine I need right now, all right? Can you be that girl for a little while longer so we can keep our family and friends safe?” He kissed her forehead, then looked her in the eyes, pleading with her to stay with him. "Can you do that for me, baby?”

She nodded, wiping her face. “Yeah... I can do that, John,” she said quietly. “I can do it for you.”  
—

As they proceeded onward, they noticed a figure crouching down next to some boxes and hurriedly waving to them. “Hey! Over here!”

Hancock looked at the figure, eyeing the synth warily. “Are you Z1-14?” He knew that this was the name of the contact that Dez told him he should meet, but everything about this place made him leery and he wasn’t too keen on taking unnecessary chances.

Z1-14 nodded. “Yeah, been waiting on you.” He smiled and got a faraway look in his eyes. "Been waiting on this day for a long time.” Then he focused and looked at Grace. “Is she the one that fought the courser for our freedom?”

Hancock nodded. “Yeah, this is my wife, Grace.” Grace had stopped crying, but she didn’t say anything- she just gave the synth a nod. “What do we need to do?” Hancock asked, loading his gun and watching as Grace did the same, her face neutral and blank.

“We need to get into that relay room if we want to get your friends inside here,” Z1-14 said grimly. "There’s three synths and two scientists in there, and they ain’t the type we can get to join our cause, so we’re gonna have to take them out if we want to get control of that relay.”

“Fine,” Grace said flatly, lowering her eyes and reloading her gun. “Let’s go.”

Hancock barely had time to move before Grace barged into the room and began firing with deadly efficiency. X6 was assisting, still in stealth mode, but Hancock barely had time to get off a shot before Grace and X6 had cleared the room. He stared at her in amazement as she smoothly slid into the seat in front of the terminal- to his horror, he realized that she looked exactly how she did in the subway tunnels all those months ago. Rationally, he knew that this was what he had asked for- he’d needed her to pocket her emotions, but he didn’t want her to turn them off completely. However, he knew he had no right to ask her to feel anything right now, so he just nodded and moved to her side, trying to ignore how emotionless she looked. “You know what to do, Sunshine?” Hancock asked quietly.

“It’s a computer- of course I do,” she said in that practiced voice that unnerved him. Her fingers flew across the keys for a moment and she scrunched up her face with concentration. “And... done!” She turned to him and gave him that creepy smile. “Nothing to it, John.”

“Yeah, Sunshine- nothing to it,” he agreed, putting a hand on her back as they waited for the rest of the crew to arrive. He worked to suppress a shudder- right now, this version of Grace unnerved the hell out of him, but he had the feeling he’d be thankful for her when all hell started to break loose. He stared at the relay, hoping that the others would get here soon- he needed to see if anyone else noticed anything off about his wife- he was scared he might need some help bringing her back from this today. After a few minutes, the relay started to come to life, and the others arrived with a loud _POP!_ Since stealth mode was no longer necessary, X6 materialized into view and began assisting the others out of the relay. Immediately, Nick ran over to hug Grace, and Hancock detected a slight frown cross his face when he interacted with the girl. _Good, it’s not just me,_ he thought. Nick shot him a look, but Hancock shook his head- there was no way to quickly explain.

Desdemona walked over to Z1-14 and shook his hand. “Z1-14,” she said, “How do we get to your forces? What’s our best option?”

“You have to go through the old robotics room," he said. "Gotta warn you, there’s a lot of security in there. Clear them out first and you can meet up with our forces in the main part of the Institute.” The synth looked grim. “Won’t be easy- there’s a lot of people who like the status quo guarding the way and they aren’t too keen on giving up their control. It’s gonna be a battle."

Dez nodded. “Sounds about right.” She turned to look at the Railroad forces. “All right,” she said, eyes flitting down the line of people. “This is it- there are people here counting on us to help save them from the tyranny and slavery of the Institute- let’s not let them down!”

The Railroad forces prepared to mobilize, but Preston looked at Grace, his face full of concern. He wasn’t going with the Railroad- the Misfits and Minutemen were in charge of evacuating whatever scientists and families they could while Sturges and Tinker Tom were trying to figure out how to remotely blow the nuclear reactor. “What about you, General? What do you need?”

Grace looked at the Minuteman as if she barely saw him, then turned to the courser. “X6, can you get me and Hancock to Shaun? Maybe we can still talk some sense into him, make this a little less bloody, you know?” Her tone was still clipped, but Hancock detected a small waver in her voice. For a moment he couldn’t figure out what it was, then suddenly, it dawned on him-_ It’s hope_, he thought.

X6 looked at Hancock- though he was silent throughout the previous exchange, he had seen it all and Hancock could tell he was concerned about her. Hancock nodded at the synth, who then turned to Grace. “As you wish, ma’am. Would you like me to take you now?”

“Yes, please,” she said wearily, emotion finally seeping into her face. “I’d like to get this done with as soon as possible.”

_ _

* * *

X6 landed us in the hallway near Shaun’s quarters. “I am sorry, ma’am, but this is as far as I can get you. It would be most inappropriate to teleport into someone’s bedroom, after all.”

“I understand. X6, you have been amazing,” I said, kissing the courser on the cheek. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.. for us.”

Hancock smiled as X6 put his hand to his cheek and stared at me in amazement. “What was that for, ma’am?”

I stared at the floor for a moment and smiled sadly. ”For being a better friend than I have any right to have,” I placed my hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "You are a good person and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, ok?”

“Ma’am, I get the feeling that you are saying goodbye to me.” The courser cocked his head to the side. “Should we be exchanging hugs?”

I let out the first genuine laugh in what seemed like forever, and it felt like a small weight had been lifted from my very soul. “Yes,” I said seriously. "We should totally be hugging right now. Group hug!” I exclaimed, pulling him and Hancock into an embrace. The two men stared at me in shock and I smiled back at them. The relief on Hancock’s face was palpable- he knew me better than anyone else, and he could see how much this was wearing on me. Though I was scared for Hancock to be here, I didn’t think there was a shot in hell of me making it through this without him, and I clutched his hand, grateful to find someone like him amid all this tragedy. No matter what lay ahead, we’d face it together- though this whole ordeal was tearing my heart in two, I was finally ready to do what I needed to do.

I put on my best smile and stared at the two men who I knew without a doubt would protect me with their lives. “Now that we’ve gotten the fun stuff out of the way, it’s time to end this.” I loaded my pistol. “John, you ready to meet your stepson?”

—

It was quiet as we approached Shaun’s room. Shaun was laying in his bed, looking frail and tired, but he turned as we approached. When he saw me, his face twisted into a sneer. “This is all your doing,” he said angrily. “I tried to give you a gift, but yet you brought the rebels to my doorstep to destroy everything I worked for, everything I built! Why! Tell me why you came to destroy your son, Mother!”

“You don't get to wield emotion as a weapon, Shaun,” I said quietly. “I’ve done nothing but reach out to you at every turn- I’m not going to let you use my love for you like a knife to stab me with.”

“So that’s it?” Shaun asked quietly. “You've given up on me?” Then he noticed Hancock standing to my side, holding my hand. “And you bring that... _ghoul_ in here, as an extra insult?”

I was struggling to keep the tears from streaming down my face. “Shaun, this is my husband, John,” I said, gesturing to Hancock. “John’s been by my side since I woke up, trying to help me find you.” I walked over to Shaun and placed my hand on his, noticing for once he didn’t flinch as I touched him. “He’s a good man- he's done nothing but try to keep me safe, be my friend, and love me. He is not a thing- he’s your stepfather, Shaun- he’s family. _Our_ family,” I said quietly.

“I recognize no such thing,” Shaun spat. “He is an accident that should not exist, a blight on the new world, and yet you choose to associate with it.” He shook his head. “I do not understand your reasons for sullying yourself, Mother.”

“His name is John,” I said again. “And like I said, he’s my husband. He’s also the father of your sister,” I said quietly, placing his hand on my stomach. “Plus, your grandma likes him, and she didn’t like anyone- that’s gotta mean something right?” I showed him the ring. “Nate never gave this to me, Shaun- it was your grandma’s. She gave John these rings so we could get married.” I stared at Hancock for a moment, then reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. Hancock’s eyes grew wide when he realized what I had in my hands, but I gave him a soft smile. “Haven’t made a lock yet that could keep me out, remember?” I turned to Shaun for a moment and sighed, turning the phone on and going to my files. “You’re always going to be my baby, Shaun,” I said quietly, playing the video of him in his crib. “But we’ve gotta think about her now, too."

Shaun paused for a moment, staring at the screen in amazement. When it finished, he looked up at me, eyes wide. “I.. don’t understand- My… grandmother? My sister? How is this possible?”

I smiled at him sadly as I put the phone away. “I tried to tell you there were more things about the surface than you could ever know, Shaun. I wanted to show you, rescue you, teach you about your heritage, let you meet your family, and love you. But... you’ve shown me at every turn that what I want isn’t going to be. So I’m going to have to do it with her instead,” I said sadly.

Shaun turned to Hancock. “Is this true, ghoul?”

X6 looked at Shaun and shook his head. “That designation is incorrect, Father- his name is Hancock.”

Hancock looked like his brain just short-circuited right then, but collected himself and walked to my side. “Hello,” he said softly. “I guess I have you to thank for your mom coming to me, that right?”

“I released her from the vault, yes, but I most certainly did not send her to you,” Shaun said angrily, yanking his hand away from mine. “She was supposed to be here, guiding this institution into a grand new era upon my passing, and now she’s here destroying it! You’ve killed the Commonwealth, Mother- we were its last hope! How are you going to bring a child into such a world above?”

“You haven’t seen your mom out there like I have- she’s changing things out here,” Hancock said, shaking his head. “It’s not the same as it was- you've gotta see that. Your mother is amazing- she rebuilt the Minutemen, banished the Brotherhood of Steel, united towns, and now she’s liberating the synths. She might not be like her mom and sister, but she's changing the world, Shaun. And now, her and I have something no one's ever seen,” he pleaded. “We ain’t trying to destroy everything you did- we’re just trying to save what we love,” he said, squeezing my hand. “Your family, Shaun.”

Shaun glared at Hancock. “How dare you come to me talking about family- I’m her _son_! You saw the film- I’m the only one in this world who is truly her family, and she is _betraying_ me!”

“You know that isn’t true,” I said, grabbing his hand again and holding it. “Shaun, a family isn’t always about blood. It’s about who you choose, who you love. I’m sorry... but I don’t think you’ve ever truly loved anyone. Heaven knows I love you and I always will- you’ll forever be my little boy.” I touched his cheek, and the old man closed his eyes. “But I also know...” I struggled with the painful words that I knew needed to be said- if I didn’t, I’d never be free. “I know you don’t love me.” I gripped his hand and the tears spilled down my cheeks and to his credit, Shaun didn’t say anything.

“But,” I said, wiping my eyes, “You do love the Institute. You call yourself Father, so act like one- please, stop this fighting. Let your children who want to leave go- don’t make us cause any more problems than we have to.” I looked him in the eye. “If you ever thought you loved me, or if you loved your work, let them have a chance, Shaun. Don’t let them all die here, fighting for their freedom. Give them a chance to live.” Silently, Hancock came over and wrapped an arm around my waist, and X6 placed a hand on my shoulder. Absentmindedly, I patted X6’s arm, grateful for their comfort as I spent what I knew to be my last moments with my son.

Shaun watched this, saying nothing. Finally, he sighed. “Could a synth ever be part of your family, Mother?” Shaun asked quietly. “Could you ever love a synth as you would a child of your own?”

“The man I consider a dad is a synth, Shaun.” I looked at the courser. “X6 is a synth and my friend- I trust him with my life.” I smiled sadly. “Like I said, a family isn’t about blood, Shaun.”

Suddenly, a voice came over the loudspeaker. “Grace!” Sturges yelled. “You better do something quick! Things are getting crazy out here! We need the doors to the reactor unlocked- isn’t there a master terminal in Father’s room? If you see it, use it!”

I looked over and saw the terminal in the center of the room, and I looked at Shaun. As I kissed him on the forehead, tears were streaming down my cheeks- I ignored them, too distraught to care at the moment. “I’m so sorry,” I said. “But I have to do this for my family.” I started to get up from the bed and head over to the computer. “Never forget- I tried to move the world to save you. I love my kids... always.”

“I would expect nothing less from you, Mother,” he said quietly. As I rose, he sighed and grabbed my hand. “There are two codes on there- one is a shutdown order for our synths... and the other is an evacuation order. Save my family, Mother. If you won’t save my vision, can you at least do that for me?”

I patted his hand as I walked over to the machine and tried to blink away my tears. “Of course,” I said. “It’s all I wanted to do.”

As I shut down the forces and issued the evacuation order, Shaun turned away from me. “I’d like you to leave me here, Mother.” He looked out into the room, eyes wandering. I want to be here when it ends- I refuse to die in the Commonwealth. Let me die in my home, in my bed- there is so much injustice here today- at least let me die with dignity.”

“Okay, Shaun,” I said quietly. “May I hug you one more time before I go?”

His voice was cold and I deserved it, but it still hurt. “Will your physical embrace soothe the pain you’ve inflicted today? Will it stop the deaths of the innocents that are going to die in the name of freedom? If so, I welcome it.” He turned to fix me with a hard stare. “If not, leave me in peace with my memories and visions of what could have been... Mother.”

The last thing I saw as Hancock and X6 led me out of the room was Shaun, glaring at me as if he wished I’d never existed.

_ _

* * *

X6 zapped them back to the relay room, where there was a mass exodus of synths and people being escorted out of the building. Hancock heard a woman barking orders about equipment and supplies as people headed out, and when she saw his wife, she turned to greet her, face lit up with excitement. “Grace- you did it... you got him to evacuate the Institute.”

Grace just nodded- suddenly, she went ashen and her knees buckled. Before Hancock could react, Nick rushed over and grabbed the girl just as she fell to her knees. “Whoa, easy there, Gracie.” He clutched her tightly and she just hugged the detective back, not saying a word. Nick frowned and turned to Hancock. "We still gotta blow that reactor, but I don’t think she’s in any position to do this, John. We’re gonna have to go with that other plan."

“Couldn’t agree more.” Hancock turned to Desdemona. "Dez,” he called out. “Since we cleared out most of the forces, it looks like it’s you and me for this next part.” He turned to the courser. “Hey, X6, can you help Sunshine? Make sure she’s ok while I do this?” He didn’t want to add _in case this goes wrong_, but one look at the synth told Hancock that X6 got the message. When the courser nodded, Hancock reached into Grace’s pack and took the charges. He smiled sadly at his wife, kissing her on the forehead. “Sunshine, you stay safe, ok?”

She snapped out of her stupor, eyes wide. “Hell no, John! It’s you and me, remember?” She flung herself at him, burying her face into his neck. “Besides, you know we’re the only two that should be down there fucking around with nuclear shit!” She hurriedly wiped her face. “See, look- I’m ok- we can go and get this over and done with, right?"

“Sunshine, for once, let me just keep my girls safe, ok?” he said quietly. She shook her head fiercely, grabbing his coat and kissing him. Hancock groaned beneath her lips, knowing that he had to push her away and leave before he could be swayed by the woman he loved so much. Closing his eyes and untangling himself from her arms, he kissed her head and ran off to plant the charges, leaving his wife screaming and crying behind him.

_ _

* * *

I howled as I saw his form running down the corridor. “JOHN!” I screamed. “JOHN HANCOCK, I’M YOUR WIFE! DON’T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!” Nick grabbed me by my waist as I tried to run after him. “PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME!” I cried and reached for him, but the speck of red kept running, Desdemona following closely behind him. Desperate, I threw myself at the courser. “X6, as my friend, _please_ go after John for me!” I sobbed. “Please, go and keep him safe!” X6 held me tight as I beat my fists into his chest, crying at the top of my lungs.

X6 shook his head, “The ghoul’s request is of higher priority than yours, ma’am. I am needed here in case something goes wrong.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Hancock will be fine,” he said, staring directly at me.

I stared at him, incredulously. “You used his name again,” I said.

X6 nodded. “It seemed appropriate,” he said resolutely. “Now we should assist with the effort here so we are ready when the ghoul returns.” The synth smiled at me. "Would that be acceptable, ma'am?“

I nodded, and suddenly, I felt a tug on my shirt. Wiping my eyes, I turned around, only to see the child synth staring up at me. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Mom! There’s so much noise going on upstairs, and Father told me to go find you.” I put my hand to my mouth, at a loss for words. The boy gave me that same lopsided smile that Nate used to have and my eyes started to water once more. “I was scared when I saw all the people running and I couldn’t find you anywhere- I was so happy when I ran into Doctor Li and she told me to go look for you in here.”

“Shaun,” I croaked, eyes watering. I bent down and stared at the boy, not believing my eyes. “Is that you?”

“Course it is- who else would it be?” He ran over and put his hands around my waist, then stared up at me, giving me that grin again that broke my heart. “I’m so happy to see you- you’ve been gone so long!” Then Shaun noticed my tears and brought his hand to my face, touching my cheeks. “Mom, why are you crying? Did I do something wrong? You don’t have to worry- I didn’t get into any trouble or nothin'- I came straight here like Father told me to.”

“No, Shaun… you didn’t do anything wrong,” I said, frantically wiping my eyes. “I’m just worried about… your stepdad, that’s all.”

Shaun stared up at me. “Well, Father won’t let anything happen to him, right?” Nick coughed, and Shaun looked over at him curiously. “Hello,” he said shyly, extending a tiny hand. “I’m Shaun... who are you?”

The detective stared at the kid for a moment then back at me. “Nick Valentine, kid. I’m a friend of your mom,” He turned to me and gave me a shaky smile. “Looks like we can’t call Mac ‘kid’ anymore- you finally picked up someone younger than him.” Nick then turned his attention back to Shaun. “It’s nice to finally meet you- I’ve been helping your mom try to find you for you for an awful long time, kiddo.”

“Father told me that,” he said shyly. "But he said now it's time for me to go home with her.” He wrapped his tiny hand around mine and gave me that lopsided smile. “I think I’m ready to go, Mom. It’s kinda scary right now.”

“It’s ok, Shaun- you don’t have to be scared anymore. I’m here, and your Grandpa Nick and I are gonna make sure you stay safe, ok?” I patted his cheek, smiling at the small boy. “As soon as John comes back, we’re gonna leave, all right?” Nick smiled at me as I hugged the child and stroked his hair, then he shot X6 a look.

The courser nodded, looking at me sadly. “I’m very sorry, ma’am, but I’m afraid I have a directive that I have to adhere to.” He gently placed a hand on my shoulder, and I tensed up. “I’m afraid it’s time to go."

“X6, don’t you dare!” I growled as I tried to back away. “I’m not moving till I know John's ok!” I clutched Shaun to my chest and glared at the courser. “I’m staying right here, understand?"

The synth shook his head and sighed. “I’m sorry, ma’am- you know I don’t obey orders I don’t agree with.”

I tried to protest, but it was of no use- before I could say another word, we were all whisked away in a flash of blue light.


	34. The Fallout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The misfits deal with the Institute and figure out what comes after.

_ _

* * *

As he raced down the hallway, Hancock hoped like hell the two synths would hold up their ends of the bargain. If no one else was going to look out for his wife, then it was up to him- no matter what, his family would always come first.

\--

_Once Grace had gone with Piper, Hancock glanced over at the remaining Misfits. "Team meeting in Nick's room- let's go." He turned to Preston and Desdemona, eyes hard. "You guys and the mad scientists can keep doin' whatever it is you're doing." Mac and Nick had already gotten to their feet, but Deacon was still sitting in the chair. "Spy, why you still sittin'? Did you think I wasn't talking to you? Move your ass before Sunshine comes back."_

_As the men headed off down the hall, Deacon walked alongside Hancock. "So, I'm one of you guys, now?"_

_"Shut the hell up, Deacon- you know you're a Misfit," Hancock grumbled. "You weren't my first choice, but I can't say I ain't glad to have you on our side." _

_Deacon winked as he entered the room. "Long as you appreciate my finer points- it's always good to be recognized."_

_Hancock rolled his eyes. "Whatever, spy." Once all the men were inside, he closed the door and sat on the chair, facing the crew. "Guys, we need a better plan. If we go with what Dez and Preston are scheming, Sunshine ain't gonna make it outta there." He looked solemnly at each man in the room. "You've seen her lately- she can't handle all this. And hell, if I'm being honest, I don't know who could."_

_MacCready shook his head. "You're wrong, Mayor." Hancock stared at the merc, but he continued. "Princess can do this. She can get us in there and make this happen. I mean, you heard them- she's the only one who can."_   
  
_Hancock scowled at the merc. "So it'd be ok if we sent Wright in there to do all this, huh? You wouldn't have any issues at all with that? Pretty easy to be flip about it when it ain't your wife on the line."_   
  
_"Watch it, Hancock," MacCready's voice had a threatening edge to it. "That's still my sister you're talkin' about. Don't you dare act like I ain't worried about what happens to her- I'm almost as torn up about it as you are, but the only difference is that I ain't the one treatin' her like glass." He leveled a stare at his friend, not willing to cave in. "I know what she can do- I've seen her under pressure."_

_Hancock wanted to believe him, but he couldn't take that chance. He sighed. "You ain't seen what I've seen, kid. She's good and all, but you give her too much and she just... breaks." He stared at Mac and Nick. "Remember the Memory Den? Now let's add a dash of killing your kid plus a few hundred others and see if you still think she's gonna be tough as nails."_

_Deacon watched the two men bicker for a moment before staring out the window. Finally, he turned back to the group, his tone more somber than anyone had ever heard. "Look, I know you guys don't want to hear this... but your wife just might blow herself up if we let her go down there." He turned to look at the ghoul. "Particularly if she thinks it's a choice between you and her."_

_Hancock felt all the blood drain from his face and if he wasn't sitting, he might have fallen to the floor. "Nah... no... Sunshine wouldn't do that," he spat angrily, turning to look at the detective. "Mac's right, she's tougher than that... right, Nick?"_   
  
_Nick wouldn't look him in the eye. "I'm inclined to discuss something that won't give her the option, John." There was silence in the room, the men lost in their respective thoughts as they processed the information. _

_Eventually, X6 broke the stillness, placing his hand on Hancock's shoulder. "Ghoul, I believe that I may have a plan."_

\--

All Hancock could do now was hope that everything went alright and that Tinker Tom could actually get him and Dez out of the facility before it blew up. “Keep up, Dez!” he shouted to the Railroad leader over his shoulder as they raced for the reactor. “We ain’t got much time and I ain’t trying to get stuck down here!”

“And you think I am? The last thing I want is to spend my last moments on Earth with you, Hancock!” She flew down the hall and yanked open a door. “Get your skinny ass in there and place those charges!”

He ran inside and looked around, frantically searching for the intercom that Tinker Tom said would be down here. Finally, he spied the box on the corner and pressed the button. “Tom, whatcha got for us!” He prayed the inventor was there, that nothing had gone wrong-

“Mayor!” The box squawked. “Good- you made it!” Immediately, Hancock let out the breath he was holding. “Ok- Dez knows the layout, so have her take you to the reactor.” Tom paused. “She won’t be able to go inside the chamber 'cause it’s emitting mad rads... but you can, Hancock- go place the charges so we can get the hell out of here.”

“Got it,” Hancock replied. “You ready, Dez?” 

“Been ready. I’ve been waiting on this day for a very long time.” Her brown eyes were like hard stones as she scanned the room. “The reactor is this way,” she said, running down a corridor to her right. “Come on- this place ain’t gonna blow itself up.”

For the first time, Hancock noticed that Desdemona was running from something, too. “Dez,” he said softly as he walked towards the woman waiting for him at the ramp. “What did they do to you?” He began to pull the charges out of the backpack, preparing to enter the reactor chamber. “No one takes on a suicide mission like this unless they got something to lose… or they already lost it.”

She ignored Hancock for a moment. “Get those charges in there. This place has to go- it can’t be allowed to ruin anymore lives.” She turned to the reactor, staring at the charges in his hand. “If I could go in there and do it, I would. I want to see this place burn to the fucking ground,” she hissed. 

“Then consider it my pleasure to assist with this mission, Dez.” Hancock turned to the woman and gave a mock bow as he stepped inside the reactor chamber. 

As soon as he entered, he could feel the thrum of the radiation in his skin- It was like the Glowing Sea, but instead of the horrible acrid wasteland, it was a wave of blinding blue that wrapped his body in a delicious tingling sensation from head to toe. He closed his eyes in ecstasy and tried to focus on what he needed to do, but the pull of the feeling was too strong- all he wanted to do was lay there, soak it all in-

_If you want to get back to your wife, you gotta do this now. _

He shook himself- he didn’t know if the thought came from him or somewhere else, but it was right- he couldn’t sit here. Shivering, he placed the charges and ran out to Desdemona, who clamped him by the arm and slammed her hand on the nearby intercom. “Ok, Tom- get us out of here now!” 

Hancock looked at the woman in shock. “What the hell? Thought we had to get back to the relay room?” He stared at Dez as she started to say something, but he couldn’t hear her response as the two of them were engulfed in a wave of light.   
\--  
Traveling by relay with Tinker Tom was nothing like traveling with Grace or X6- his body was wracked with searing pain, and he felt like he was being cooked from the outside in. Suddenly, Hancock and Dez appeared in the middle of a room, slightly singed but otherwise unharmed. Tinker Tom looked at them approvingly. “Sorry about that- was in kind of a rush. No one’s extra crispy though, right?”

Hancock glared at him but didn’t say anything. He just coughed, letting small rings of black smoke escape from his lungs- Dez was wheezing, but otherwise, she seemed fine. “Are we all out?” Hancock asked, coat still steaming. “Are all our people accounted for?” He scanned the area, struggling to make sense of his surroundings- everything was kind of tinted with a blue haze, and he kept seeing pinpricks of light out of the corners of his eyes. “Where are we?" 

“We’re in the Mass Fusion building- the closest spot to detonate while still being far enough away.” Hancock stared at him, and the inventor smiled. “We were the last ones to leave- everyone else left while you guys were setting the charges.” Tinker Tom pointed above his head. “Good work, Mayor, but I think you want to get up there- your family is up on the roof, preparing to watch the show. Promised her I wouldn’t blow it until she saw you, and I kinda need to get this done.” 

Hancock didn’t wait to hear the rest- he flew up the stairs two at a time, eager to see his wife and friends again.

_ _

* * *

I was staring out over the Commonwealth, leaning against Nick while Shaun was curled up into my lap, fast asleep- apparently, the boy had inherited my ability to sleep through just about anything. I just kept looking down as I stroked his curly brown hair, shaking my head. “I can’t believe it- after all this time…” I shook my head. “Nick, am I wrong for wondering if this is real?”

Nick kissed my forehead and smiled at me. “That depends on you, Gracie- do you think I'm real?”

“What kind of question is that, Nick?” I asked, frowning at the detective. “You know I do.”

He gave me that knowing smile again. “Then I think you know your answer, sweetheart. He’s just as real as I am… if you want him to be.”

“It’s… you weren’t there at the end, Nick. Shaun- the other Shaun… hated me.” I shook my head. “He didn’t love me, but I loved my son enough to fight through the end of the world. It didn't even matter, though- he didn’t give a damn about me at the end.” I looked down at the boy in my lap and sighed. “But now, I feel like I have another chance… and I don’t know if I deserve it.” I fumbled in my pocket and pulled out a holotape. “Shaun gave me this- he said it was from Father. I haven’t listened to it,” I whispered. “I’m too scared to hear what it says.”

“Want me to listen with you?” Nick said quietly. 

“Please,” I replied. “I don’t think I can do this alone right now.”

“You’re never alone out here, Gracie,” Nick said as he popped the tape into my Pip-Boy. “You got the biggest family I’ve ever seen in the Commonwealth- don’t forget that.” He pressed play, and Shaun’s voice began to emerge from the tiny speaker. 

_I am sorry that things ended the way they did, but the fact remains that I am now gone, and I can no longer look after young Shaun. He has been reprogrammed to believe he is your son- I hope that was not too presumptuous on my part. You didn’t get the chance to give me all the love and affection you wanted to, but I hoped that you might be willing to offer that to him. I would ask only that you give him a chance to be a part of whatever future awaits the Commonwealth, the chance to have the family that I never had, and the chance to grow up with a mother willing to move the world to save the ones she loves. I could not accept this love from you, but it is my hope that you will take him with you… and your husband. You all deserve a chance to... To be a family. _

_Take care of him, Mother- it is my last wish._

There were tears in my eyes as the tape finished. Amazed, I looked up at the detective, blinking back tears. “I have a chance to be his mom again.” I wiped my face, then smirked at the detective, trying to force myself to feel normal. “Guess this means I have to clean up my mouth a little, huh?"

“Unless you want a swarm of foul-mouthed little parrots following you about, I reckon that might be a good idea,” Nick said, laughing good-naturedly and hugging me. "You ready to handle a whole brood? I thought John was just kidding when he said you guys were practicing for a second- didn’t think you’d get one so quickly.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” I replied, shaking my head and staring out at the horizon. “Now all I need is to make it out of this without being a widow a second time, and we can call this a success.” 

“Then I think you better get ready to celebrate, Sunshine.”

_ _

* * *

When he spoke, Grace turned to him, eyes wide with shock. When she figured out he was really there with her, she shifted so Nick could take the child that was sleeping in her lap. Grace ran over to him, inhaling his scent as she clung to his neck for dear life. “John!” she exclaimed. “Oh my god, you gotta stop doing that to me!”

He smiled, kissing his wife and vowing to never let her go. “I’ll stop when you do.” He clutched her tightly and rested his chin on her head. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere, Sunshine.” He sighed contentedly as he looked around, then noticed the boy in Nick’s arms. “Who’s the kid?”

Grace didn’t look up- she just kept her head buried in his coat. “How do you feel about ten-year-old boys, John?” 

Hancock smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Been a while since I’ve been one, so I think I might be a little rusty. Not my choice of dinner, if that’s what you’re asking.” He was silent for a moment, staring at the child sleeping in the arms of the detective, and realized he looked like the boy they had seen in the Kellogg’s memory. Hancock looked at her curiously. “Is that your kid, Sunshine?"

“Yeah, It’s Shaun,” she said quietly. “He made a synth version of himself as a young boy. This version thinks he’s my son… and… I want him to be.” Grace looked up at him and bit her lip. “Think you’re ready to start this dad thing right now?” Her eyes searched his face anxiously. “Do you… think we can be a family, John?”

“We already are,” he replied. “I knew this was a package deal since day one, Sunshine.” He chuckled. "At least now I get to practice before our other one pops out, right?” He could feel her laughing and she started to say something else, but they heard footsteps coming up from behind them and they paused, watching as the others approached. 

Tinker Tom was in front, followed by Dez and Deacon. A few moments later, Preston and Sturges appeared, the rest of the Misfits not far behind. The inventor looked at Hancock and cleared his throat. “Now that she knows your alive and won’t murder me, I think it’s time we said goodbye to the Institute, don’t you think?”

Hancock nodded. “I’d say so- it’s been long enough.” He looked over at Desdemona, thinking about her face in the reactor chamber. “You want to do the honors, Dez?” He understood better than most that sometimes you had to destroy your past to have a future, and with this behind her, the woman might finally stop running now.

The Railroad leader glanced at Hancock, her face full of gratitude. “I… yeah, I would,” she said, taking the detonator from Tinker Tom. She listened patiently as Tom gave her a few instructions, and then she stared out into the distance, mouth set in a tight line. “This is for you, Will,” she said softly. If she said something else, Hancock couldn’t hear it- her words were too soft and the wind was blowing in the wrong direction. But as he watched the woman while she pressed the button on the remote, he realized it didn’t matter- the words weren’t for him anyway. An instant later, the sky was awash with flame and a loud _BOOM_ as the ground erupted upward, shaking the building and sending a wave of heat over them, blowing their hair and staggering the people on the rooftop back as the land containing the Institute was reduced to nothing more than a smoking crater in the ground. 

Hancock held Grace tightly as he felt her sob into his coat, her cries muffled by the noise and the fabric. He knew she didn’t need to see this, but he did. The Institute was gone, no longer a threat looming over the Commonwealth at every turn. He stared at the faces of his friends and noticed MacCready and Piper holding hands, watching the flames leap into the sky. Piper had her lips pressed together in a tight line as she clung to the mercenary, no doubt mentally writing her next article in her head. X6 was standing near Preston, no expression on his face whatsoever, and Nick was on the ground, holding the small boy tightly in his arms and shielding him from the debris. 

Finally, his eyes settled on Deacon, and he almost didn’t recognize him for a moment- the spy had removed his glasses and was standing next to Desdemona with an arm draped around her. His blue eyes were sparkling with mirth as walked over and placed a hand on Hancock's shoulder. “Good work,” he said as he started to lead Dez back down the stairs. He tipped an imaginary hat at Grace. “Looks like the Misfits of the Commonwealth strike again- been a pleasure serving with you, General, but now I think we must take our leave. Until we meet again,“ he said, saluting. The woman looked up from Hancock's coat to offer the spy a soft smile and a wave as he departed, and she finally removed her face from his chest. 

“Is it over, John?” Grace asked, looking out at the smoking crater. “Did we really do it?”

He grabbed her hand and smiled. “There’s gonna be a helluva lot of work, but I think it’s safe to say we’ve done our part for now.” He kissed his wife on the cheek and stared out into the rubble. “But yeah, we destroyed the Institute… not too many lawyers can claim that.”

She frowned. “That was you, John- I didn’t do anything except lose my shit and cry.” 

“Don’t sell yourself short- you got your son to save a whole lotta people that might not have had a chance otherwise. I’d say that’s a mighty big accomplishment.” Hancock smiled. “I’m proud of you, Sunshine. I know it wasn’t easy, but we gave our kid a chance today.” He looked over at the kid in Nick’s lap and corrected himself. “We gave our kids a chance today.”

Grace chuckled. “God, our family is a walking unity ad. We got a ghoul, a synth, a human, and a…” she paused. “I don’t know what you’d call her… a hybrid?” Her stomach gurgled and she groaned, clutching her hands to her midsection. "Right now, I’m going with indigestion, cause that’s about where I’m at with it.”

He laughed, happy to have his wife back again. “I’m just gonna say daughter for now, if that’s alright with you.” 

She shrugged, a grin spreading across her lips. “Fine by me.”

From the corner of his eye, he noticed a shimmer. Hancock smiled, realizing who was nearby. “Hey, X6,” he said casually. “Thanks for helping me out back there.”

The courser appeared, standing next to Hancock. “It is good you returned- I would have been most offended if you were harmed during your ill-advised heroics.” X6 looked at Grace, then at Hancock. “After assessing your behavior, I am inclined to agree that you are, in fact, a good person, ghoul.”

Knowing that he was going to hate himself for this later, Hancock sighed. “C’ mere,” he said, pulling the synth in for a hug and clapping the courser on the back- surprised, X6 let out a startled gasp at the sudden contact. Grace turned around to hide her laughter from the courser and Hancock pulled away, extremely proud of himself for knocking the synth off-balance for once. “You’re a good person too,” he said quietly. “If you need a home after this, you’re always welcome in Goodneighbor. We got a couple of positions on the Neighborhood Watch, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have watching my town than you.”

X6 looked at Hancock incredulously. “You would offer me a place with your family, ghoul?” The courser frowned. “I was under the impression that I was not welcome there.”

Hancock waved his hand dismissively. “I’m the mayor- what I say goes.” He winked at Grace, who was smiling. You’re my friend and a Misfit, right?” X6 nodded seriously and Hancock shrugged. “Then I don’t see the issue- as long as you want it, you got a home with us, X6."

The courser nodded. “Thank you, Hancock- I would be honored to become a resident of your town."

—  
Nick came over to Grace and Hancock, holding the hand of the small boy. “Hey guys, someone’s been looking for you. Figured I should get him to his family before it got too hectic.” When Shaun saw Grace, he got up and ran towards her, hugging her tightly. Grace didn’t say anything- she just wrapped her arms around him, staring at Hancock over his head with a smile as she patted the boy’s back.

Hancock went over and hugged the detective, forever grateful to his friend for taking care of his family. “Thanks, Nick- we appreciate it.”

“No trouble at all, John. It was fun- got a chance to chat with Shaun for a bit.” Nick chuckled. “You guys got a mighty fine kid over there- glad I got the opportunity to hang out with him.” He turned to smile at the young boy. “Don’t be a stranger, kiddo. I’m looking forward to working with my newest detective once you get settled in.” He looked at Grace, then smiled. “That is if your mom says it’s ok."

Shaun brightened and turned to Grace. “Mom- Grandpa Nick said I can help him work some case files with him and be a junior detective!” He clasped his hands in front of her and begged. “Can I mom, please?” Grace pretended to think about it, and the small boy started to circle her, bouncing up and down on his heels. After a moment, she smiled and nodded. When she did, the boy pumped his fists in the air in excitement. “This is gonna be awesome!” He hugged his mom, then went over to hug the detective. “I promise- I’m gonna do whatever you need me to do! I can even build you stuff to take with you on your cases! Thank you so much!”

“Anytime, kiddo.” He looked at Grace and Hancock. “It’s been a pleasure, but I think I’m gonna go and help out with all the ruckus down there. You guys gonna be ok?”

Grace nodded. “I think we got it from here." She leaned over and kissed the detective on the cheek. “Thanks again… for everything."

Nick smiled, waving to the boy as he left the roof. Shaun waved after the synth, grinning from ear to ear, and Hancock wondered if the boy could ever look at him the way he did Nick and Grace. He knew it was too much to ask, so instead of saying anything, the ghoul turned around and hung back, trying to stay out of the way. _No sense in scaring the kid_, he thought. _Dunno how Sunshine’s gonna explain this, but we’ll make it work- hell, we’ve gotten through worse, right?_

Suddenly Hancock was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder, and he turned around to find the small boy smiling shyly at him. “Hi… I’m Shaun,” he said, offering his hand. “Pleased to meet you.” Hancock felt tears well up behind his eyes at the boy’s innocent gesture. When he had met the old Shaun, there was nothing but venom and hatred directed at him- this time, there was nothing but curiosity as the small boy extended his hand. Before he could return the greeting, Grace leaned down and whispered something into the boy’s ear. When she spoke, Shaun’s eyes lit up and he ran over to hug Hancock instead. “Mom says you’re my stepdad,” he said quietly. “And Grandpa Nick told me you really like hugs.” 

_That goddamn Nick,_ he thought, then laughed. “You’re right, kiddo,” he said, hugging the boy back. “Your mom made us all a touchy-feely bunch out here, so get used to it.” He paused for a moment, then laughed again. “Just give your older sister a little warning before you give her a hug- she’s a little touchy sometimes.” 

“Will do,” Shaun said seriously, then hesitated for a second. “Wait, I have a sister?”

Grace laughed and leaned over to ruffle the boy’s hair. “Yep, you sure do. John’s got a daughter who’s a lot older than you, but… we got a secret.” Grace made a show of looking around furtively, then whispered loudly to the boy. “You’re going to be a big brother, Shaun.” 

The boy’s eyes grew wide, then sad. “I never had a family before," he said quietly. “None of the other kids would play with me, and Father was always too busy. Doctor Li was nice,” he said, scuffing his feet on the ground, “but that was it.” He looked to Grace and Hancock nervously. “I don’t have to go back there, do I? I can stay with you and John- right, Mom?” 

Grace nodded, kissing the boy’s head- Hancock just laughed. “Kiddo, you’re stuck with us.” The boy grinned and Hancock took a look around, thinking about just how much life had changed for him. “But I think you’re gonna like it. You’re gonna have a really big family now… but I gotta warn you- your grandma and aunt are kinda interesting.”

_ _

* * *

Preston came over to us, staring at the small boy who was standing next to me. “General,” he said affably. “Looks like we did it.” He turned to Hancock and inclined his head. “Seems like you got a family to take care of now, Mayor. Any thoughts about moving out to Sanctuary and settling down?” 

Hancock shook his head, crossing his arms. “Not a chance, Boy Scout- Goodneighbor is home… just gotta make a few adjustments, is all.” He looked down at Shaun and grinned. “We’re just starting to outnumber the girls- may as well enjoy it while we can, right?” 

Shaun nodded, returning his grin. “Yep.” Then he turned to Preston and smiled. “Hey- Mom says your the guy who brought the Minutemen back! That sounds super cool- can you tell me about it sometime?"

Preston puffed up with pride. “Of course, Shaun. But your mom is the general- did she tell you that? You know, your mom is a pretty great lady.” He leaned over to the kid. “I’m going to need you to keep an eye on your stepdad and make sure he treats your mom right, ok?"

The kid looked confused. “Why would I need to do that? John’s nice.” I laughed, trying to figure out what I had done to deserve the chance to be so happy.

The minuteman just shook his head, smiling at my son. “Well with you there, I’m sure he is,” he said, tipping his hat to us. “General, it’s been an honor serving under you. Don’t be a stranger down in Sanctuary- we'd like to see you all now and again.” He looked at Hancock, and I couldn’t read his expression. “No sense in Goodneighbor keeping everything to themselves.”

Hancock tightened his hand around my waist, but his expression remained calm. “Can’t help it if we have all the best stuff, Boy Scout.” 

“Guess not,” the Minuteman said softly, staring at me. “General… don’t be a stranger, ok?"

_ _

* * *

After Preston left, Piper came over to the family. She looked at the ghoul and smiled softly. “Mayor of Goodneighbor risks his life to destroy the Institute, huh? You keep this up and you’re gonna actually succeed in making people want to move to that town of yours, Hancock.”

He shrugged. “Hey, we’re of the people, for the people- everyone’s welcome. Even reporters,” he said with a smirk. “Although I do think we gotta make a few changes, seeing as I got a family to look out for now.” 

“Yeah, well… don’t change too much,” Piper said begrudgingly. “You might lose some of your charms.” Then she turned to Grace, smiling. “Blue, looks like you did it- you got your boy back.” She kneeled so she was level with Shaun and extended her hand. “Hi, I’m your aunt, Piper- it’s nice to finally meet you, Shaun.”

The boy smiled, taking her hand. “Nice to meet you too, Aunt Piper. Were you one of the people helping Mom try to find me?”

She nodded. “Sure was. And I’m really glad we did, cause I have a sister named Nat- she’s around your age. Would you like to come to my house and hang out with us sometime?” Piper grinned and turned to Hancock. “That is... if your dad doesn’t mind you coming to Diamond City.”

Shaun turned to look at Hancock. “Would it be ok to go there? You and mom won’t get mad or nothin’, would you?” 

Hancock had to stifle a laugh. “Not my favorite place to go, but I suppose the company is decent enough.” He looked at Grace. “Plus, I think your mom is going to be heading over there to yak with your aunt anyway- no reason you can’t tag along.”

“Would you come with us?” Shaun asked. “If we all go together, then we can go and visit Grandpa Nick- I’m sure he’d want to see all of us!” The boy looked at Piper and smiled. “Plus, I think I’d like to go and play with other kids sometimes.”

He noticed his wife and the reporter trying not to laugh, and Hancock forced himself to smile at the boy- he didn’t know any better. “Sure kid- as long as you want me with you, I’ll go.” He stuck out his hand to the boy. “Partners?” 

The boy shook his hand. “Partners, Dad,” Shaun said with a smile. “Us guys gotta stick together, you know."

_ _

* * *

After everyone else had left, MacCready wandered over to Hancock and Grace, clapping his arms around their shoulders. “Holy sh-crud- that was crazy as all heck!” Then he noticed that they weren’t alone, and he peered at the small boy that was clutching Grace’s waist. “Hey, Princess,” he said cautiously, “you realize you have a little monkey on your leg, right?”

The boy peered out from behind Grace, and Hancock put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not a monkey, I’m a kid, thank you very much,” he said with a smile. “My name is Shaun, pleased to meet you.”

MacCready raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question it- there were too many other things going on that needed attention. The smoking ruins of the Institute still smoldering in the background came to mind, so he decided that the full story could come later. Right now, there was a ten-year-old boy in front of him and he knew how to handle that. “Well, right now you’re clinging to your mom and dad like a little monkey, kid. How about you come with your uncle MacCready and we help out all these people while your mom and dad get things settled. Plus,” he whispered conspiratorially, “I’m sure your aunt Piper has some Fancy-Lad cakes in her bag that we can rescue. How does that sound?”

The boy turned to his parents, who smiled. “You heard your uncle,” Hancock said, gesturing towards MacCready. “Go save your aunt’s hips from those snack cakes, would you?” 

Shaun beamed and started to head off with MacCready, ready to cause the kind of chaos small boys often do, while the merc was eager to meet the kid that inspired a revolution. Even if this version was only a copy, he would still allow Grace to regain some of the time she had lost with her child. Against all odds, she could still have a relationship with her son. MacCready thought about questioning it, but if he’d learned anything while traveling with the Misfits, it was that the world could always surprise you. 

Sometimes, it was just best to roll with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap! If you want to say goodbye where the game ends, then this is it- please feel free to comment and tell me your thoughts- It really helps and motivates me!
> 
> it's been an amazing ride and I can't believe I did it- I'm so happy to have had you for the ride! However, we're gonna operate on movie logic here- if you want to get the real ending, stick with the Misfits for another chapter! :)


	35. Always and Forever, Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Institute gone, Grace & Hancock get to start their story

_ _

* * *

_Seven months later…_

“I hate you so much!” I yelled as I started to push. “I fucking hate you and everything for which you stand, John! I hope your nuts fall right the fuck off and you die in a goddamn fire!” I let out another string of deep breaths and squeezed my husband's hand, looking down the bed at Doctor Carrington. “Fuck this shit!”

“Gracie, you’re doin’ great- just a little longer, ok?” Nick turned to Hancock and smirked from the other side of me. “Aren’t you glad you told the kiddo to stay outside for this one?”

Though I had been abusing him for the last few hours, Hancock had been right by my side the whole time. “Hell, I wish _I_ had stayed outside for this one,” Hancock winced as I clamped my hand down on his, squeezing his fingers in a vice-like grip. “She’s gonna kill me, Nick!”

“You’re goddamn right I’m gonna kill you!” I screamed as I pushed again, feeling my face turn red from the strain. “This is is all your goddamn fault!”

“No one ever thinks like that when they're making the baby," Doctor Carrington said dryly. "Grace, I can see the head- one more good push, and all of us will be free from this nightmare, ok?” He wiped his brow and stared at Hancock. “And you’re staying with her by choice? You have my condolences, young man.” He turned back to me as I huffed and puffed like a small freight train. “You know this would have been much easier with medication, Grace.” The doctor rolled his eyes. “As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure that everyone in this room would have been happier if you were on some sort of medication right now.”

“If you didn’t have your hands in my snatch I’d be cussing at you too, doc!” I said through gritted teeth. “Be lucky I’m only mad at the one who _did this to me!_” I started to say something else, but another contraction hit and I screamed. “Oh my god,” I yelled as my body was wracked with pain again and I struggled to breathe. “Why is this happening!”

Doctor Carrington started to say something else, but Hancock cut him off. “Because you’re one of the toughest people I know and we’re about to have a perfect little girl, Sunshine!” He peered down the bed, then looked at me excitedly. “I can see the head too- she’s almost here!”

I gave one final push and suddenly, I heard an ear-piercing wail. “Congratulations,” Doctor Carrington said, holding the small bundle as he checked her over. “You were right, Mayor- it’s a girl.”

Hancock just stared as the baby cried, hand to his mouth. “What?” I said, tugging on his hand. “What is it? Is she ok?” He didn’t move and I tugged harder, starting to panic. “John, what the hell is wrong with you?” I was terrified that something was going on- I had no idea what to think, and his silence wasn’t easing my nerves any.

Hancock shook his head. "Nothing's wrong- it's... she’s amazing.” He shook his head in disbelief as the doctor handed him the small squirming bundle and I craned my neck to see our baby girl. “Absolutely perfect,” he breathed as he handed her to me. “We did it, Sunshine.”

_ _

* * *

Doctor Carrington left the room after pronouncing the girl healthy, but Hancock barely noticed- he was too busy staring in amazement at the little pink bundle wrapped up in her mother’s arms. She had stopped screaming when Grace began stroking her cheeks, and he couldn’t believe that this was real. _My daughter_, he thought._ She's one of the best things I’ve ever done_.

He kissed his wife on the head, relieved the whole ordeal was over. Grace smiled up at him and though his hands were still screaming in pain, everything she had said to him over the last few hours was forgotten- all Hancock wanted to do was hold them both in his arms. She kissed the little girl on the head, then gazed up at him. “I think she needs a name, John.”

“Sure does,” he said thoughtfully. He turned to Nick, who was staring at Grace in shock and gently touching the baby with his metal fingers. “I got a suggestion if you don’t mind.” He looked back at his daughter, who had finally opened her eyes- they were that same brilliant shade of green as her mother, just as they thought. “How about Jennifer,” he said, looking at his friend. “Jennifer Nicole Hancock. I think it fits, don't you?”

Grace smiled. “I think that’s perfect, John.” She turned to the detective. “What do you think, Nick- does she seem like a Jennifer to you?” Grace extended the baby to the detective with a smile on her face. “Maybe you should hold her- I mean, she is your granddaughter, right?”

Nick opened his mouth, but no sound came out as he took the precious bundle into his arms. The detective looked at his friends and then at the tiny girl, eyes wide with amazement. “It’s a perfect name,” he said. “But why?”

Grace rubbed Hancock’s fingers. “I wanted her to have a name like I do- I’m named after my dad and his best friend, but I think she got luckier with names than me,” she mused. “Plus, I can honor my mom in there too.” She looked up at the detective. “So, are you ok with this, Nick?”

“More than okay, Gracie.” He shook his head as the baby shifted in his arms to stare into the detective’s yellow eyes. “I’m honored.” As he handed the baby to Hancock, Nick chuckled. “So, how bad is your name, Gracie?”

“Pretty bad,” she said, laughing. “Grace isn't so bad, but I don't think Roberta quite has that ring to it. Lucky for us I think Jenny's gonna be pretty good with her moniker.” She rested her head on the pillow and turned to the detective, who was staring at the little girl in amazement. “Guess you should open the floodgates- everyone is gonna want a piece of this little one. May as well get her family in here first.”

Nick raised an eyebrow at the girl. “You realize that her family _is_ the floodgates, right? Is this room even big enough for everyone?”

Hancock laughed, stroking his daughter’s cheek and kissing her on the forehead. “You want to be the one to tell Fahr she can’t come in and see her sister, be my guest, but I’m not sure I want her first memory to be her sister stabbing her grandpa.” He shrugged. “Up to you, though.”

“Fair point.” Nick sighed. The detective looked at Grace, who looked exhausted. “Fine, but we gotta keep it short- these two ladies need to get some rest, John.”

“Yep- rest is gonna be a good thing.” Hancock cooed at the baby, who yawned, scrunching up her face and balling her hands into tiny fists. _Look at that- my little girl is already a fighter... just like her mom and dad._ "I hear we won’t be getting too much of that for the next few months.”

_ _

* * *

Just as Nick suspected, the room was a madhouse. He walked into the lobby of the Memory Den to find Shaun, X6 and Fahr building something on the floor. MacCready was pacing around nervously, but Piper and Daisy were chatting idly while Nat and Duncan were coloring. The noise in the room was normal, but as soon as Nick approached, everyone fell silent.

“Well?” Fahr said. “What’s the word, Nick? How’s my sister?”

“You know, it could be a boy.” MacCready scowled at the redhead. “Besides, we talked about being human, Fahr- Grace did just finish cooking the youngster. Might be polite to ask about the mom too, you know.”

Fahrenheit crossed her arms and glared at the merc- Nick laughed, quickly changing the subject. “Hate to break it to you kid, but you got a niece- her name is Jennifer Nicole Hancock and she's absolutely perfect."

Fahr tossed a triumphant look at the merc, who stuck his tongue out at the redhead. "Told you, Mac- pay up," she said, waving a hand in his face."

MacCready scowled, then fished in his pocket for a handful of caps, plunking them down in her hand. "I still say it could've been a boy."

The detective just shook his head, then winked at Fahr. "Dunno if you bet on this too, but you might have a mini-me in there, Fahr- judging by the peach fuzz on her head, it looks like she’s gonna be a redhead too.”

“‘Bout time,” she huffed, then looked over at Shaun, who was pouting at his sister. “Oh cut it out, kid- you know you’re cool.” The boy grinned, and the redhead muffed him, causing the boy to fall against X6. The siblings laughed and Fahr turned back to Nick, grey eyes gleaming. “Can we go see her?”

“That’s why I’m out here,” Nick said with a smile. “I’m here to open the floodgates.” He thought about how tiny the room was but then smiled at the fact that there were this many people who cared about the little one in the room. "But I think we’re gonna have to do this in shifts."

_ _

* * *

_Two Months Later…._

I was sitting in the chair and singing a lullaby to Jenny while Shaun sat on the floor, pitching cards into a hat with Hancock. The afternoon was still and peaceful- right now, Jenny was calm and quiet, and I smiled to myself as I looked down at my daughter. _She's lucky she's adorable, _I thought as I smoothed my hand across her wild red curls. Just like I figured, there wouldn't be much of me in there- she had my eyes and my curly hair, but she reminded me so much of Fahrenheit that it was hilarious sometimes. Thankfully, she did not inherit her temper, but she was just as mercurial as her dad. Most of the time, she was as calm as you pleased, but if you offended her in some way, she'd scream at the top of her lungs to let you know that you'd displeased the tiny queen and your life was subject to be forfeit. In those situations, only her dad would do- everyone else was decidedly not a person she wanted to see. If Hancock wasn't around, I would do in a pinch, as I was the food source, but her dad was her number one draft pick every single time. He'd hold her and she'd stare at him with those bright eyes, making sure that you weren't trying to trick her into accepting someone else, then she'd calm down and settle into his arms, reaching her tiny hands for his face. It never failed to amaze me when I saw the two of them like that, but I supposed it made sense- he'd been a white knight when I'd met him and now he was hers, happy to ride in to save the day for his little girl. 

_And I thought my dad was bad- heaven help the man unlucky enough to try and date her. _

Just as I was about to doze off, I heard a soft ding come from upstairs. I looked around at the others in the room, trying to gauge their expressions. By now, I was so sleep-deprived that I was liable to concoct just about anything at this point, but one look at Hancock’s face told me that I might be tired, but I wasn’t crazy- he’d heard it too.

“Sunshine,” he said slowly. “Did you hear that?” I nodded and he looked upstairs, then back at me. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yep.” I didn’t have a better answer for him- I knew exactly what the sound was- even though it had been over five years since I’d last heard it, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind about it.

Shaun stared at us with interest, obviously curious about the conversation tidbits flying around him. I had never gotten a chance to tell the boy the full story- I had just thought it was safer to let him adjust without the crazy thrown in. Hancock frowned at me, standing up. “That hasn’t been on in months though,” he said, trying keeping his tone calm. It was a pretty safe bet to say my family freaked him out- considering every time he had talked to them some terrible shit had gone down, I’d be a bit on edge around them, too. “You think we should check it out?"

As if the phone had heard us, another ding came from the bedroom. Since the phone was supposed to be in the safe, it shouldn’t have been possible for the sound to be that loud, but then again, the damn thing shouldn’t be ringing at all- physics be damned, I guess. I rose to my feet, sighing- guess it was time to see what was so damn important. “You coming, John?” At this point, Shaun was looking back and forth between us nervously. I handed Hancock the baby, eyeing the stairs warily. “Shaun… you should probably come too.”

Hancock raised an eyebrow, holding Jenny with one hand and placing the other on the boy’s shoulder. “You think that’s a good idea, Sunshine?”

“Something’s going on, and they obviously wanted us all to know about it.” I sighed, resigned to whatever it was I had to do. “No time like the present, John- may as well rip the band-aid off and get it over and done with.” I started up the stairs, my family following me like ducklings as I made my way to our room.

Just as I suspected, shenanigans were afoot- the phone was laying on the desk, decidedly _not_ in the safe, and the closet door was closed. At that moment, I knew what was going on and I took a deep breath- Hancock was about to lose his shit, and I didn’t blame him one bit. “John,” I said softly, walking to the desk and grabbing the phone, checking the two text messages I had just received. “You know I love you, right?”

Hancock looked at me warily and tightened his grip on the kids. “I love you too, Sunshine… but I gotta admit, you’re scaring the fu-“ he looked down at Shaun and reconsidered his words- “You’re scaring me a little.”

“Right now, I don’t doubt that one bit- if I were you, I’d be scared too.” I bit my lip. “Do you trust me?” He nodded, and I nervously looked down at my phone. “Well, Mom wants to see us, John.” Slowly, I moved towards him, trying to put my husband at ease. “But I’m going to need you to give me Jenny for a minute, ok?”

“No,” he said staunchly, holding his daughter to his chest and carefully moving Shaun behind him. This time there was no censoring his language- Hancock was scared. “And Sunshine, I love you to the moon and back, but there is no fucking way you’re taking my kids.”

Ordinarily, I might have snapped at him for something like that, but I understood where he was coming from. “I would never do that, John.” I gestured to the closet. “You said you trust me, right?” He nodded, but I could see his brain working as he tried to come up with a plan that did not involve me being anywhere near his children at that moment. Sighing, I opened the closet and pushed aside the clothes, revealing the door I knew would be there, and I turned around to see him standing there, eyes wide. “See?”

“I see it, but I don’t know what you expect me to do with it,” Hancock said carefully. “Sunshine, I’mma be honest- I’m not feelin’ too keen on this plan of yours right now.” He swallowed nervously. “And I’m really not feeling too good about involving the kids in it.”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh for Pete’s sake, it’s just a damn door, John.” I reached out and flung open the door to reveal my mom, who was standing in the front hallway, an amused grin on her face. “Come on,” I said, taking his hand. “Time to meet the family."

_ _

* * *

The first thing that Hancock noticed when he stepped through the door was the overwhelming sense of oddness he felt when Nia was around. For a moment, he was overcome by it, then when he crossed the threshold, it went away. He looked over at Shaun, who’s eyes were as wide as saucers- Hancock put a hand on his back to reassure the kid. “You alright there, kiddo?”

Shaun looked at him, incredulously. “Did we just go to Narnia, Dad?”

Hancock looked at the boy, confused. “Can’t say I’ve heard of that place, kid. Care to fill me in on that one?” He looked around at Grace, who was shutting the door behind him with their daughter in her arms. That sense of nausea came back when he saw his bedroom disappear behind the door, and he turned his attention back to the boy. “Where’d you hear about that place?”

“It was in one of the books that Daisy gave me to read- these kids went into their closet, just like we did… and they landed in Narnia.” Shaun looked around the hallway, staring like he was considering all angles of the problem and trying to come up with a solution. “But in the books, they were outside when they arrived- we’re inside already. I wonder why?”

“Because as much as I would like it to be, I’m afraid Jersey isn’t as glamorous as Narnia, Shaun,” a voice said from behind Hancock. He turned to see Nia, walking up to his son and kneeling so she was the boy's height. She smiled. “I will admit, I got the idea for traveling from there, though.” Shaun gasped and the woman winked, offering her hand. “Pleased to meet you- I’m your grandmother, Nia.” She stood up, turning to Grace, who was holding Jenny in her arms. “And this must be Jenny,” she said, smiling at the baby. Nia looked at Hancock, eyes full of mirth. “John, do you mind if I hold my granddaughter?”

Hancock knew better than to argue with the woman, so he nodded and gestured to his daughter. “Knock yourself out- be careful though… she just ate.” He smiled ruefully. “I’ve been caught by that one a few times already.”

“Duly noted,” Nia said, grabbing the baby as she started to walk down the hall. “Come on, kids- everyone's waiting on you.”

Hancock turned to Grace, who was holding Shaun’s hand and gesturing to the pictures on the walls, talking about the moments from her childhood. “It feels like I haven’t been here in forever.” Then she stopped at a particular photo, and her breath hitched in her throat. “John- look at this,” she hissed. “It’s us!"

He made his way over to the photograph and his jaw fell open in shock. She was right- it was them, on their wedding day, just after they were married. The day was burned in his memory, but he never imagined he would see her like that again, looking at him like he was the only man in the world. “How did they get this? Did you see them there?"

She shook her head. “No, but to be honest, I only had eyes for you, so a herd of radstags might have been dancing the conga and I probably would’ve missed it.” She smiled. “I’m glad they got the picture though- I’d rather have-“ she looked down at Shaun and stopped her sentence, choosing to smile instead. “I’m just really happy they got the photo, John."

“You guys coming or what,” another voice floated down the hall, making Hancock tense up- he’d heard that voice before. “It’s been a really long time since I saw my sister, you know!”

Grace’s eyes lit up. “Sam!” She ran down the hall and flew to the dark-haired girl, who squealed and hugged her tightly. “Oh my god, I’ve missed you so much!” She pulled back to look at her sister’s face. “I can’t believe it’s you!” Grace gestured to the boy, who was standing close to Hancock’s side. “This is your nephew, Shaun.” Then, she went over to Hancock and put her hand around his waist. “And this is my husband, John, but judging by the pictures, I guess you already knew that.”

“I wasn’t going to miss your wedding, GraceFace- your dad would’ve killed me if we didn’t get any pictures of you on your wedding day. Plus, I think I met your husband a while ago, remember?" She gave Hancock an impish grin. "So, no love for your sister-in-law? I'm offended. Bring your ass over here and give me a hug, John!"

Hancock couldn't argue with the girl, so he hugged her as she requested. 

_My family just keeps growing,_ he thought.

_ _

* * *

I entered the living room and I almost cried when I saw my father again. It had been so long since I had seen him that I didn't want to breathe- I was too scared he would disappear. “Dad?” I said, not believing my eyes- he was sitting on the couch, holding my daughter in his arms, studying her face. Even though he was a doctor, Dad was never what I would call a baby person. To be honest, he wasn’t even remotely what I would call a people person. Brilliant? Yes. Sociable? Not really. “You know that’s a baby, right? I thought you were allergic to children.”

“Considering her birth circumstances, I was curious to see if she'd have an extra appendage or something equally as interesting, but imagine my dismay to simply find a run-of-the-mill baby. At least she has your eyes- I'll take that as a sign that she might end up becoming interesting at some point." I scowled, and he gave me that patented smirk he did so well. "Plus, I’m allergic to stupidity, Grace, not children- I think she’s safe for now.” My dad looked me up and down and I felt like a teenager getting caught doing something wrong. “But you, on the other hand...” He handed Jenny to Sam and got shakily to his feet, ignoring the cane that was by his side. “Get over here, Grace,” he said gruffly, extending his arms. “It’s been boring since you left, kid.”

“I missed you too, Dad,” I said, hugging him tightly. I looked back at him, his bright blue eyes staring at me, trying to figure out what he needed to solve this time. "It's so good to see you," I whispered. 

"Missed you too, kid," he said softly, kissing the top of my head. "Your mom tells me you caused a bit of an incident while you were away. I told you lawyers were nothing but trouble," he said, shooting my mom a look- Mom rolled her eyes and scratched her face with her middle finger. I laughed- this was just like old times.

"Being a lawyer saved her quite a few times if I recall correctly, Greg," Mom said evenly. "Though I do admit, her acerbic personality did her a few favors, so congratulations, your temperament contributed to something positive- will wonders never cease."

"That's enough, you two," I said, though I knew that there was no venom to the argument. "This is a happy time- we're not giving my family this kind of welcome. Save it for the second visit, at least."

"You're no fun," Dad grumbled, but he grinned at me. "Life isn't worth living if I can't harass your mother now and then." He gestured to the doorway. "Care to introduce your entourage, or are they just there for decoration?"

I turned to see Shaun and Hancock standing nearby, watching the whole exchange. Hancock's face was flat, but I could tell he'd heard what my dad had said about Jenny and he wasn't taking too kindly to it. “Well, Dad, this is my son, Shaun, and my husband, John.”

Hancock walked up, guiding the boy to my father. To his credit, Shaun was handling all of this remarkably well. “Hello,” he said, staring up at him shyly. “It’s nice to meet my other grandfather. Mom says I’m like you cause I like science and solving puzzles.”

“Is that so,” Dad said, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Well, you’ve got my hair too, if we’re counting things.” He looked at Hancock, then squinted at the boy. “How old are you, kid?”

“I’m ten,” Shaun said proudly.

"That so," he said as he stared over him at John. "Interesting, since your mom just woke up this year." 

I frowned and placed a hand on Hancock's shoulder, but the dig went over the little boy's head. "Yeah, that part sucked," the boy said plainly. "I was with Father for a while, but Mom and Dad found me and took me back home."

Dad gave me a look, wheels turning in his head. Eager to stop this line of questioning, I cut my dad off. "Shaun's going to turn eleven soon- he's super excited." 

Shaun instantly brightened. “Dad said I can have a party for my birthday this year, so if you want, you could come.” The boy paused, looking thoughtful. “That is if you want to- Mom said you were a doctor, so I know you’re probably really busy and stuff-”

This was going nowhere fast- I could see that Dad was trying hard not to roll his eyes, so I stepped in to help. “Shaun, can you go help your aunt with Jenny? It’s her first time meeting her, and you know how your sister is.” I smiled at the boy. “I think you could be a big help over there.” He smiled and ran over to Sam, who welcomed her nephew to sit next to her on the couch. “Sorry about that- we’re still teaching him how to talk to people about things that don’t involve schematics and blueprints.”

"The boy is bright, I'll give you that. Must take after you, since we all know his real dad was a moron,“ Dad said dryly. "I think I would have rather he started talking about the blueprints- you know I do better with facts and figures than hope and cheer."

“Well, we can’t all get what we want, but I happen to think my kids are pretty great, for a run-of-the-mill baby and a super friendly little boy,” Hancock said mildly- immediately, I could tell he was slightly pissed. Hancock was not taking too kindly to my dad's slights. I shot him a look, and he sighed, offering my dad a small wave. “I’m Grace's husband, John Hancock- nice to meet you.”

“I’m quite sure it isn’t,” Dad said cheerily. “Your tone and posture tell me you think I’m full of crap, but since I don’t particularly care about your opinion, I think we can work with it.” He extended his hand. “Dr. Gregory House,” he said, looking my husband up and down and settling at his coat. “So, is it pirate day or history fair? I’m not quite sure which look you’re going for, John.”

“_Dad!_” I yelled. Mom looked over and sighed- she put her head in her hands and Dean patted her shoulder. Thankfully, Sam and Shaun weren't paying attention, but Dad was still standing there and looking at Hancock with a smug expression on his face. Hancock's face was a thundercloud but he was silent, which worried me even more. Slowly, I turned to my husband, half expecting him to pull out a knife and stab my dad on the spot- I was pretty sure Mom wouldn't let Dad bleed out on the rug, but I'd prefer not to test that theory. “John…” I said nervously. “Look-“

“No need, Sunshine,” he said mildly. “Your dad’s a prick, but it ain't your fault,” he said with a smile. “He’s just testing me- but hey, at least now I know where you got your mouth from.” Even though my dad was taller than him, Hancock looked him in the eye, his gaze unwavering and his voice low. “I don’t care what he says about me- I've heard and lived through worse than some uppity doc can dish out." He fixed my dad with a steely glare. "But I'm only gonna say this once- you do anything to hurt my wife or my kids, we're gonna have a problem. Till then, we're good.”

I let out a deep breath and looked at my mom, who was sitting back in her chair and smirking- _she already knew how this was going to go._ I started to say something to her, but she just nodded and put a finger to her lips. 

Dad looked at Hancock with mild interest, then clapped. “Smart enough to assess the situation before reacting, but also doesn’t care about impressing your parents- finally, you picked one that wasn’t stupid this time. Who knows? He may even survive one of your moods, Grace.”

“Believe me- your kid ain’t shy about running off at the mouth. If I was bothered by her attitude, this would have ended a long time ago.” Hancock said evenly. “Besides, Sunshine and I have survived a lot more than some moods- I think we’re good.”

“Then I taught her well,” Dad said, finally nodding with approval. “Welcome to the family, John."

Hancock sighed and turned to me and raised his eyebrow. "Sunshine, if you want to keep your dad alive, don't ever let him meet Fahr, ok?"  
—  
Mom looked at me as we sipped drinks on the porch, watching the sun setting over the horizon. Hancock was on the couch, holding Jenny and chatting with Dean and Samantha, while Dad was in the kitchen with Shaun, building something out of our old legos. It was quiet and peaceful, and I sighed, happy to be home for the time being.

After thinking about it for a moment, I turned to my mom, my arms propped against the side of the chair so I could see her face as she stared out into the distance. “This was never my story, was it, Mom?” I watched to see if her expression would give anything away, but she just smiled and said nothing- I pressed on, determined. “It was John’s story- he was the hero all along, huh?”

“Does it matter whose story it is?” She smiled at me, then gazed off into the distance again, sipping her drink. "Your fates have been tied since the beginning, Grace.” She placed the glass on the table and interlaced her fingers behind her head, leaning back into the chair and staring into the sky. “I think it’s safe to say it’s a little of both, don’t you?”

The stars were just starting to come out- as I had suspected all along, they were the same here as they were at home and I took comfort in the fact that no matter what, our families were connected. “Mom, I thought I left to be a hero, but almost everything that happened out there was because of him.” I looked up at the constellations, taking a moment to soak up the view from this end. “Couldn’t he have done all this on his own?”

“He needed you just as much as you needed him, Grace.” I scoffed and she laughed, her green eyes shining with pride. "Honey, didn't you notice that almost everything John did, he did for his family?” She looked at me and touched my cheek softly. “You both needed a reason to exist.” She closed her eyes, relaxing in her chair. “Two people running from their past- you both took on new lives to prove that you were more than what everyone else thought of you. Alone, you were broken, but together, you were enough.” She smiled. "Like I always said- nothing ever goes right the first time, honey. Sometimes, you need a second chance to get things right- that’s our gift, Grace.”

“I thought that was just about our love life,” I said, frowning. “I never thought about it any other way."

“There’s always another meaning, kiddo- you just have to look a bit harder.” Mom smiled, her eyes reflecting the vastness of the night sky. "I’m sure you’ll find most of them one day."

\--

The night sky was awash in pinpricks of light, and Hancock and I were laying next to each other on the roof, gazing at the stars. It reminded me of our trips on the road, and I smiled to myself- _how often had I done this back home and wished I was right here?_

As if he could read my mind, Hancock placed a kiss on my forehead. "Is it just like you remember?"

His face appeared relaxed, but I knew him better than anyone else in the world- he was thinking about something. Hancock looked away, staring at the stars again. Watching him take in all of this craziness without batting an eye made me fall in love with him all over, and I couldn't imagine my life any other way. I planted a kiss on his cheek and he closed his eyes, rubbing his hand on my arm absentmindedly as a breeze blew across, enveloping us in the scent of the wildflowers from my mom's garden. I took a deep inhale, trying to recommit the scent to memory and combine it with the sensation of him touching me. "It's amazing," I replied. "If I'm being honest, I never thought I'd have any of this."

He smiled when he turned his head to look at me, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Whatcha mean, Sunshine?"

I snuggled into the crook of his arm, inhaling the warm scent of tobacco and berries that wafted from his coat. "Having all my family together... being able to come back here." I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him. "I thought I'd never get to do this again but to be able to spend an evening out here with my family? It's wonderful. I think the only thing that would make this even better would be having the rest of the Misfits with us."

Hancock let out of a snort. "You think having them here would have been a good idea? You do realize that Fahr would've made a hat out of your dad after he insulted her brother and sister, right?"

I chuckled. "Well, I'm just counting it as a win that she hasn't tried to punt Jenny across town yet, especially after she puked on her. I'd say that counts as personal growth right there."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much- she likes having a family as much as I do. Though I do admit that I still get scared about her stabbing you in your sleep after you wrangle the kids." I scowled and he threaded his fingers in mine as he ran his fingers across my ring. "So overall, I'm pretty good with it just being us tonight."

"Did you forget about the slew of people downstairs right now?" I brought his hand to my lips and planted a soft kiss on his knuckles. "Because I'd say we got about twenty minutes before Jenny loses her shit and requires you to save her from being passed around like a newly rolled joint."

"I suppose you got a point there." He let out a soft laugh and squeezed my hand, but I saw his face darken slightly. "I feel sorry for you guys when I won't be there to save her from everyone."

I laughed. "I think by the time you're not there watching the girl like a hawk, she may have grown out of this. Lord, I _hope_ she'll have grown out of it- I dunno if my nerves can take that level of screaming from a teenager." He smiled but he didn't laugh, and finally, I sat up on my elbows, my eyes wandering across his face. "Ok, I gave you a million chances, so now it's time to spill it- there's something on your mind."

Hancock sighed, staring out into the distance. "It's just... this is your home. Look at all this- you and the kids can have a good life here. You can't tell me you don't want to stay here with your family, Sunshine- I'm the only one that don't fit here." He looked at me sadly. "And I'm wondering if you guys wouldn't be better off staying, you know?"

My heart broke a little at the confession- of _course_ he'd think I want to stay here. Instantly, I pulled him close for a deep kiss, tasting the remnants of the peach wine and cigars we'd had after dinner on his tongue. Breathless, I broke away from him, cupping his face with my hands. "John, you and I fit better than anything else I've ever known," I said softly, toying with the ring on my finger. "Did you mean it?"  
  
Hancock looked confused. "Did I mean what?"

"Our vows," I said softly, looking into his eyes. "Did you mean it?"  
  
"Of course I did," he said indignantly. "What would make you think I didn't?" He kissed me and folded my hands in his. "I'm yours, Sunshine. Always and forever, remember?"

"Then you're an idiot if you ever think I'm leaving you," I said with a grin. "John, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me- I mean, I love my family, but now I can always come back and visit them. Besides, I already told you- home is wherever you are. I'm in the Commonwealth to stay, and so are our kids." I touched my hand to his cheek, smiling at my husband. "Plus, last I checked, I thought you said staying with me forever sounded good to you. What, are you trying to back out a few decades early?"

"Never." He kissed my hand beneath the night sky, staring into my eyes. "Forever still sounds perfect to me, Sunshine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap- for real this time! 
> 
> I'm so sad this is done, but if you got to the end of this epic story, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who's read, left kudos, or comments! This story helped me find my love of writing again, and I'm interested to get your feedback, so let me know what you think! 
> 
> It's been a blast hanging out with you guys and it was so much fun to tell the main portion of Grace and Hancock's story. I'm thinking I'll go into the DLC packs one day- Far Harbor is one of my favorite add-ons, which that might let me check in with some old characters and bring in some new ones I couldn't work into the story this round. Let me know if this sounds interesting!
> 
> In the meantime, if you want to spend a little more time with these guys, feel free to check out _The B-Sides: Stories from the Commonwealth!_ if you haven't already!
> 
> Also, if you want to know what happens to Jenny and Shaun, check out the [It was never enough ](%E2%80%9C) series!
> 
> * * *

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the LLF Comment Project, which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:  
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**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Dream Across the Universe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21883375) by [Danypooh80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danypooh80/pseuds/Danypooh80)


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